Beyond the Legend Beyond Zelda
by Xerebell
Summary: A story set 75 years past Skyward Sword. As big events unfold before him, a Skyloftian is drawn at the center of all of this. Will he have to become like Link to survive... or is Hylia wishing for something else? OCs, References to every Zelda gams, R&R Cover by LuvIsAThing
1. To Stand Before Her

**BEYOND THE LEGEND, BEYOND ZELDA**

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_-__ "__There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy"  
_Hamlet, Act 1, scene V

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******VOLUME I: The Red Thread of Fate**

**)) Chapter 1: To Stand Before Her ((**

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A female figure was standing, apparently alone, in a black void, which somehow clashed with the white and crystal clear hue of her aura. She was an outstandingly beautiful woman, whose looks could not belong to this world: pure marble colored skin, flowing golden tresses, slim and delicate figure whose only clothing was a form fitting white dress which covered even her ankles, and some jewelry to adorn her, a diadem on her forehead, a ring on each fourth finger, her front hair was tied in two parallel tails which reached her chest, her eyes were two pool of sapphire as clear as the sky and deeper than any ocean, ruby red lips curled up in a smile as she looked at her new guest.

She somehow sat down and showed her instrument, a harp shimmering of her own light to the point it seemed nothing more but a silhouette. The fact that the woman seemed not to be obscured by such light glint implied that she emitted a shrine on par if not superior than the one of her instrument.

The guest fascinated, lunged a hand in attempt to touch the magical harp, but the ethereal woman smiled and waved the hand away with a gentle gesture, as it was not the time yet. She strung a few chord, letting sounds whose purity could only be compared to laugther of children and started soon singing a gentle aria which made her guest relaxed enough to see another figure, not human, it looked more like a … small stub with a leaf for a face, only a pair of feet tall at best. It could have been mistaken of a Kikwi, if not for the fact that it looked more of a wooden substance. The comically small creature quickly pulled out a violin which, due to its size, was played like a cello, and quickly joined the woman's harp, quickly followed by a small, curiously green-haired child who was accompanying both musicians with a blue colored Ocarina.

At this the observer invited by the white woman, marveled by the concert, looked even further, was able to glimpse a thin and emancipated redhead figure dressed in purple who was playing a giant organ, next to him another small child figure which seemed more like a miniature scarecrow happily blowing in his trumpet filling more the air with even more music. Atop them, floating, a weird frog-like being who was waving a silver-colored baton, somehow summoning an imposing and otherworldly choir at each movement.

Before the guest could even react, more people joined at the imposing music, all led by the ethereal figure known by legends as Hylia the White Goddess. A short figure with pointy ears riding a unique wheeled vehicle was playing a flute, a large Goron beating a couple of drums, a fish-like person beating with small metallic stick a coral-made triangle somehow still able to tingle, a lonely figure dressed in blue tints using a leaf as an instrument, a golden hued wolf- like spirit howling, all of them creating the most aethereal and awe-inspiring atmosphere for the concert led by Her Grace... And all of this was unfolding before a human youth who could barely understand that was seeing somehow a glimpse through spaces and times, eyes twitching in fear and awe.

Hylia noticed this and smiled at her guest once more, this time her waving was an invite to join them. The youngling looked everywhere but then looked sorrowful at the White Goddess, for there was no instrument to play. The blonde spirit did not falter and gave the human a simple wordless answer, pointing with her stare at her guest's hand. The observer, figuring out what she meant, timidly clapped in an attempt to join, but shyness quickly overcame the frail spirit and looked down, thinking to have failed Hylia. Yet, the White Goddess simply let out what could be compared to a tingle of a silver bell, actually her voice when letting out a soft chuckle, and she looked at the youth as if it was her child.

_Beyond._

At this the youth looked up in puzzlement and disbelief. What did Her Grace mean?

_You have to go beyond. _

_Listen._

At this the concert of dozens of instruments played in all its glory, making a spectacle around the Skyloftian who could not help but feel tears running down. How could it be? The youth always thought to be unable to cry.

He got mesmerized in that melody and let his mind flow, only a gentle pat on the back from the White Goddess the last anchor to reality. And the crimson scarf tied to his neck was blowing in the wind generated by the melody of the mysterious figures led by Hylia in an angelic choir who will have lasted through the millennias.

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_Knight Academy's Dormitories, Skyloft, 2am, First day _

The Skyloftian was softly woken up, realizing that he had forgotten to untie his scarf before going to bed, which was why he had felt it caressing his face during that unique dream. Not that he minded though, after having dreamed of Her Grace. It was really her, the goddess who had saved every Hylian by sending their city up in sky... was she not? It could not be just a dream right? Hopefully...

_Beyond…. Cryptic yet truthful statement and word… I suppose_, the figure thought repeating the words Hylia said as he caressed the garment around his neck, which held to him an infinite affective value, then he turned and lightly knocked on the wall next to him in a vain attempt to make his neighbor lower the volume of his tone-deaf aria played with a trombone. That, and not the triumphant concert, would have been his companion for that, from then on, sleepless night.

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_Temple of Darkness, Sheikah's Head Quarters, 6am, First Day _

Atop another island blessed with the power to float by the White Goddess herself, hidden by the arcane magic of shadows, there was a large imposing palace, the Temple of Darkness, where an ancient race had been surveying Skyloft well before its birth

Sometimes changes might go unnoticed before the eyes of commoners, yet there are always people with the duty to look over and register every change. So they knew what had happened 75 years ago, when the new incarnation of the Hero of Legend had finally gone into a duel against the Demon King and sealed his power and consciousness inside the Master Sword, ending his threat once for all.

This and the disappearance of Hylia's current incarnation had made the Sheikah, a legendary race renowned for its affiliation with Shadows and its duty to always look over Her Grace, register quite a number of changes, first of all in their very organization. Their goal had changed to protect Zelda, Hylia's reincarnation, to safeguard the children of the Goddess, common people, and the land of Skyloft. This shift of duties had been further remarked by their leader Impa's ascension to the heavens, for having served the Golden Goddesses' will for thousands of years, and the election of the new Sheikah in charge, Vina Dorenaz, a skilled Shadow folk who had been supported by everyone but the elder of the organization, Agahnim, a red cloaked Sheikah, who was hyperbolically said to be as old as Impa, known for his lust of power and his arrogant belief he alone, due to his old age and wisdom, knew the Her Grace's truest word.

Just like Impa, Lady Dorenaz had been blessed with a long lifespan, being over a century old and not looking past her mid-twenties, clearly shown by her slim youthful figure and her more feminine looks compared to her predecessor, long white, with a unique pink-ish hue, hair tied in two longs pigtails, a flowing blue kimono with red flowers and, of course, the Sheikah symbol, and jewelry adorned the same way, her eyes of a lighter hue of red, enough to be confused as pink. Different from Impa's was also her modus operandi. While the former leader was known for her rather direct approach in handling situation, Vina preferred to remain as a figure hidden in shadows, providing clues and indirectly helping they who need assistance from afar, preferring to use her subordinates to do her bidding as she held a more strategic position. She did intervene though with figures of high authority, most notably the new master of the Knight Academy, as Gaepora had passed on due to old age, and always tried to keep contact with either the Hero of Legend and Zelda, with varying degrees of success every time.

Vina looked around the room from she supervised the safeness of Hylia's children and was pleased to see that, the moment she used a crystal sphere to send a signal magic through a sphere, the incredibly useful Farore's wind, several Sheikah warped. The first to show up was, as typical of her, her second in command.

Indeed, Vina was, luckily for her, aided by a very loyal and powerful woman, Mazhar Davul. She was not a typical beauty, being a bit more rugged and tomboyish in appearance than most Sheikah, her ravine hair was long and always messy, her eye color leaning on dark orange.

On her side she carried always a pair of drums she used to relax herself when needed, and indeed, it was usual of her to play them when she was at the Temple of Darkness. She claimed the drums were used to honor a great hero who had killed a monster called Man Eater. She had a very loose appearance, her clothing, torn and tattered by both her difficult missions and her brutal fighting style, hada weird collar both at her necks and wrists and her skin looking dirty and dark. Despite this, she always kept a noble and superior attitude, only showing submission to Agahnim and Vina themselves.

While always stoic and calm, also due to the vow of silence she had taken a long time ago, Mazhar was known to be terrifyingly fierce when needed, having defeated in combat the traitor Sheikah known as Veritas, who had sold his soul to demons in exchange of powers and souls to consume. For all his troubles, Lady Duval sealed him in the underground of the Surface, but not before having brutally gouged out his cursed eye with her bare hands, even making a magic tool out of it, which one day would have been remembered as the greatest of the three treasures of Sheikah, the Eye of Truth.

While Mazhar sat next to Vina, placing her drums aside, the other Shadow Folks arrived. The second Sheikah to come was a blonde tan skinned youth with a black and silver variant of the Sheikah outfit, indicating he belonged to the Sheikah investigation division, whose unique possession was an enchanted flute shaped like a pipe.

Soon another flock of shadow folks came, led by Agahnim, who quietly sat into a corner; quietly waiting for every possible slip Vina would do which could be used against her in the far future, his pale white skin giving him an eerie look.

After a quick exchange of glares with her rival, Lady Dorenaz stood up from her throne, Mazhar's tribal music accompanying her steps as she came close and all the shadow folks bowed before her, not a thing which she was very enthusiast over, but as long as tradition kept a firm grip upon the society of Hylia's protector, she would have not minded, and answered all of them by curling her lips in a smile and making them all a gesture of welcome.

As the blonde youth came forth before the new Sheikah leader, he greeted her once more and stated in a protocol procedure: "Thorne Datoru of the Investigation unit, here to deliver the report about the happenings on the Surface, Lady Dorenaz"

Vina interested, nodded, and answered with a calm voice asserting superiority: "Please, do tell"

"As we speak, two more group of people have been leaving the Island in the sky" – the investigator stated – "the first is a ship merchant, confident to be able to become wealthy by exchanging trades with the Parallela tribe and a new underwater race which has been appearing more and more around the sea. Although, from some rumor we have found partially worth of note, it seems more like that his real purpose is not to become rich as much as to escape from the girlfriend he had supposed to marry next week. Somehow, he also convinced a few people to follow him and they are currently travelling with a ship called after him. Another instance of people leaving to the surface which seemed rather… outstanding, belonged to a rather short and stubby man in his late thirties, who somehow left with a series of balloons, apparently in hopes to find the fabled 'Fairy Boys' which are said to be living in the core of the forest"

The Leader of the Sheikah raised a brow at this new. She was told by the Goddesses that Skyloft was destined to be abandoned one day, but still, people's quirky nature never ceased to surprise her. She indeed had been hoping that people would have rather followed Link's noble desire of adventure or knowledge… but such, with its faults and praises, was mankind. She could not help but inwardly chuckled as Mazhar's music helped her meditate.

"Anything else remarkable?" she further questioned Thorne.

The younger Sheikah thought for a while, enough that Lady Dorenaz considering using the second of the three great treasures , until she could hear him muttering: "Aside from the Great Spirit Levias soon going to pass close by, actually, I have found something which might be considered rather strange…"

"And might it be?" the leader asked, her interest picked.

"These three weeks, at night, I have been noticing the number of Poes has sizeably decreased" - Throne answered, further elaborating what it meant as he saw Vina's raised eyebrow –I" know, at first we thought it might have been the Collector's work, but usually, while we usually report an average of ten sighting of these ghost per night, there have been days their number could be counted on one hand. Of further notice is the fact the sightings have all been nearby Skyloft"

It then concluded with a bow and proceeded to listen to Vina's consideration about such. The woman stood silent for a while, first glaring back at Agahnim's challenging stare, then facing Mazhar, who had raised her head to look at her leader, actually sending her a telepathic message.

"You are right Mazhar" – she stated with a nod – "Thorne, my second thinks that the Poes might be hiding in Skyloft, do you exclude such from what you have seen?"

The younger investigator quickly shook his head and replied: "It might be possible"

"Then it's settled" – Vina quipped back to the group – "Mazhar, gather a squad and investigate for the next 24 hours Skyloft and its surroundings. Bring with you the Eye, in case the Poes are using their invisibility to hide in the dark or are possessing common people. If you find anything suspicious, report to me immediately. And if any Skyloftian falls victim to a Poe, eradicate the menace as soon as possible before their presence might end up to spread all over the city"

At this, the raven-haired second in command bowed her head and stood up strapping her drum on her back and narrowing her eyes, quickly pointed at two Sheikah to come with her. The first was Thorne himself, being the one who had reported such oddities in the Surface, then another girl. This one was a teenage, with black long hair tied in a pony tail with a small horn symbol and dressed in a purple attire with a red eye, as her chest had a sizeable cleavage to enhance her hourglass figure.

"Who? Me?" - The Sheikah, known as Gwen, asked in surprise at Mazhar– "YAY! I promise to…."

Instead, Thorne simply stated a: "It's an honor to work with you, Lady Davul, I will…"

Before they both could continue, the drum bearer shut them up by snapping her fingers before their eyes, a sign to draw attention back to her, and a warning not to do such again. After all, they were Sheikah, they who hid in the shadows … They strike hard, and fade into the night…. and the rest was silence.

In the meanwhile, Agahnim bit his lips in defeat. Alas, this course of actions was pretty much the same he would have taken himself if such report was given. He hated to admit but, once more, Vina had proven to be a skilled leader. As Lady Davul conjured with her arcane spells the Eye of Truth, the trio of Shadow folks sat together in a corner and, as soon as their Leader dismissed the meeting, they left the palace, heading out for the new adventure.

Now alone, Vina sighed deeply, silently thanking the goddesses once more of their clemency toward Hylia's children. Once more, what might have been a minor problem was to be solved swiftly with a protocol procedure. Everything, both in the brightest light and in the deepest shadow was working smoothly and the will of the Golden Goddesses was being carried flawlessly. She smiled at herself, glad to be a leader worth Impa.

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**DISCLAIMER:**

**The hystory of Zelda, Skyloft, Hyrule and Termina, alongside its characters and setting are (c) Nintendo**

**Vina Dorenaz is (c) Super-Zelda-Fanatic**

**Thorne is (c) LuvIsAThing**

**Gwen is (c) Kitoma Foxx**

**Veritas is (c) Theodore Hastings**

**Main character and the story are all (c) Xantospoc**

**Thanks you all for having read this fic, read and review please. See ya for the next chapter :)**


	2. Swayed By The Winds

******VOLUME I: The Red Thread of Fate**

**)) Chapter 2: Swayed By The Winds ((**

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_Graveyard, Skyloft, 7am, First Day _

After using the mighty steed Argorok, a dragon whose power was to blend with the shadow, the group of Sheikah considering of Mazhar Davul, Gwen and Thorne promptly reached the wonderful city of Skyloft, constituted by several scattered landmasses suspended in the sky above the Surface, home of Hylia's children, the sacred bird known as Loftwings… and, as some of the higher ranking Sheikah knew, another rare race which was said to have a lot of ties with the Goddesses, even superior to the Shadow Folks' themselves.

Either way, the group first landed at the Graveyard, the closest locations where Poes could be. It was a quick and rather swift inspection of the place, they discovered that, first of all, by pushing a gravestone, they opened a Secret passage to the underside of the island, the rather unremarkable presence of some green ChuChus and rupees by touching some graves, and overall nothing worth notice, except the fact that the graves were being, for some reason, heavily decorated. The raven haired second in command herself raised a brow in puzzlement at such

Mazhar further studied the area with the Eye to be sure they had done a perfect examination of the place. As the results proved positive, they moved in the city, using their skills as Sheikah to hide in the shadows and look over every person which might have looked suspicious. As they crawled through the shades, they realized the atmosphere of the place was very … feisty and light hearted. They knew that since the Hero of Legend had defeated the Demon King, peace had been prospering, but no doubt there had to be some further reasons for this.

As they reached the first inhabited area they had targeted, the Knight Academy, they realized why the whole Skyloft seemed to be so joyous. The coming of the Hero of Legend had, indeed, overshadowed a minor event in Skyloft's history: the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Academy. As seventy-five year had passed, it meant that the Academy was about to celebrate its first century, quite an achievement. The new headmaster, a former friend of the Hero, was quite proud to have successfully lived through this all, and had decided to personally supervise the event in question.

Nonetheless to say, dozen of students were already practicing all over the Academy for the event: some were fighting in the sparring hall, others were looking over their Loftwings and train them for the main trial, the Wing Ceremony, where they would have proved their worth to become Knights and get a tunic that, while the first times used to be of a different color each year, since that unique twenty-fifth year, it had remained permanently of a dark green color, in a clear reference at the greatest figure in all history of Skyloft.

Thorne and Gwen remained…. Utterly shocked at seeing that world unfolding before them, such grandness displayed in a colorful realm invaded by light, to the point that reality, they would have gladly stopped by to join, weren't Mazhar present. So they quickly snapped back to reality and walked over the halls, easily sliding through the shadow of every careless student all of them, as the Eye revealed no sign of possession

The trio of Shadow Folks just kept walking over as they reached a possible place where Poes could have been hiding: the library. Filled with dirt and spider webs, big and humid, people rarely went there, full of paintings to hide in, close to a place full of people… what better place for a Poe to live in? Also, there was supposedly at that time no soul around.

And instead, to the trio's amusement, there was the single soul, and not a librarian. It was a student with a lithe frame and a small height, inferior to most average girls of his age, shoulder length straight black hair, blue robes covering a black jumpsuit which somehow clashed with the red scarf around his neck, and his round face, slightly covered with and hat, had soft and thin features, the most notables bright and big hazel colored eyes which shifted left and right quickly as he was reading a book about the right equipment and tips to ride safely a Loftwing, his thin finger running through the paper, fond to discover everything about this. On his face was plastered a wide smirk, greedy of knowledge, enough not to notice a girl walking close to him.

What was most drawing of that fawn-haired girl, who as her white dress implied was going to be the student to represent Hylia that year, was the white veil-like cloth on head that reached the floor, and the white bandages over eyes and neck, indicating her blindess, and a wide, some would say even eerie, ear to ear grin. Taking a deep breath, she quickly recognized her companion's scent and smiling even wider, spoke to him with a loud tone, with an intention, clear to the Sheikah observing this, to startle the boy, easily succeeding

"My my, Ankoku,what are you doing here?", the girl mused with a cheerful and somber tone, going behind Ankoku and leaning her hands on his shoulders to avoid him to run away immediately.

Ankoku turned and, recognizing her answered with a … rather unique speech pattern: "Indeed, my my, Alannah, such a surprise to cross our path here. What coincidence or fate has brought you to the library?"

Alannah looked around and froze as bit as she could swore to be able to perceive some weird noise. The Sheikah, figuring out what she did, quickly stood still, so she was not able to trace them anymore and shift back to her schoolmate and answered.

"Really? Are we in the library?", she asked in genuine surprise, her blindness forbidding her to know the truth, a thing Mazhar was somehow... understanding of.

Ankoku nodded and further confirmed with enthusiasm: "We are, I have been further implementing my knowledge about riding my Loftwing. Dodo is excited as much as I am for the Wings ceremony, we will pass it, no doubt"

Alannah clapped at him: "Bravo, good Ankoku, then we will make the ritual at the Statue together, uh? It will be fun"

Ankoku's eyes widened in clear terror at this as his fingers trembled and stated: "No pressure, uh?"

Such statement made Thorne wonder what line of thought had flown through the youngster's mind. Instead, Gwen wondered how well she would have fit Hylia's dress had she replaced Alannah.

_A lot of people would end up falling down off the island hee hee_, she thought holding her mouth with an hand to muffle a giggle which might have blown their cover.

As the two spoke for a bit, the bell rung, meaning the lessons were about to start. Just as if a trained Rescue Knight, Ankoku stood up and said: "Well, such conversation was fun. Might we cross out path once more soon, Alannah"

Laughing at her schoomate's speech, the girl answered with an energetic pat on his back before walking away: "It was fufufu…see ya, Ankoku, might Hylia protect you"

The boy in blue, remembering the dream, smiled sofly at this, and bowed at the fawn haired Hylia impersonator in a sign of gratitude as he took his leave from the library, positive feelings filling his young and immature mind. Mazhar, who had stood silent and had even let her two teammates slack off and watch the show as she analyzed the room and discovered that, once more, there was no Poe, could not help but glance at the leaving student and empathize as the two younger Sheikah slapped their forehead with their palms as Ankoku had not noticed that Alannah had placed on his back a 'Kick Me' sign. Before they could go away and explore another area of Skyloft, the Bazaar, they heard the sound of a kick and a lightly loud pained sound.

Repeatedly.

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_Bazaar, Skyloft, 1:30 pm, First Day -_

The group had been seeking for over six hours for any Poe or ghastly entity, and, so far, the report was fruitless. Not even a glimpse of undead energy, no people turned into gold, not even the Collector was there to give clues.

Gwen and Thorne were pretty much convinced that Vina's assumption was (thankfully) wrong, after this. Mazhar, instead, remaining silent, was still determined to look for any possible Poe, although not now that the sun was at its peak, it was pretty much assured that no ghost would have showed up, so she was allowing once more his subordinates to relax and enjoy from afar the preparations of the festival, all while looking down with the Eye of Truth for any possible contingency.

The two younger Sheikah, jumping up the roof of the Academy, looked down and watched amazed the festival. It was amazing, far bigger than they could have thought, and the Ballad of the music they had heard that morning had gone up to a glorious crescendo. Both of them silently thought to ask Vina for a day off to watch the Ceremony.

The first sight that amazed them was the apparently endless number of Loftwings. Those birds were a joy to the Shaodw Folks, mostly because their steeds, the Argoroks, were so dull colored and aggressive compared to those magnificently colored and so friendly looking animals.

And how many colors. Blue was the most common, yet they could see yellow, green, orange, brown, they could swear to see even someone deep red. And, surprisingly, they saw even the young boy from before, Ankoku, if their memories were correct, who was bringing with him his Loftwing up to the Bazaar, periodically caressing it. It was a very fine beast, looking perfectly healthy and fine, with a fluffy blue-colored plumage and, weirdly enough, some white stripes at the side of its wings and down its beak, following its spine. It somehow resembled the color scheme of Ankoku's clothes. How it was possible, nobody knew, not even Ankoku himself. Although it was said that some Loftwings who have deep bonds with their masters ended up mimicking their appearance. At least, this was the most common explanation as to why the Loftwing of the Headmaster seemed to have a pompadour-like hairdo atop its head.

"Have no fear Dodo" –Ankoku's voice finally spoke caressing his Loftwing's head – "look around, be amazed by such beauty and festivity. Isn't this place wonderful? Don't be shy, we shall be here here tomorrow for the Ceremony we have been training so much for. I have even bought thise special iron-soled boots to improve our balance. Why do you make a such a face? Please, tell me not you are getting afraid. Oh, here here"

At this Ankoku wrapped his arms around Dodo's neck and whispered things which seemed to calm it down. Gwen giggled at how cute they seemed together… but quickly joined Thorne in sighing, as they both were seeing that the young boy had still the 'Kick Me' sign on his back. They could not help but carefully aim aneedle which swept away the paper, although lightly started Ankoku as he felt something passing on his back. As the duo quickly hid in shadows though, he was unable to spot them and resumed petting Dodo, and carefully place his scarf around him, as if it was its reins, and kept walking him to the Bazaar, unknowingly followed by the two Sheikah.

A few minutes later, Dodo made a pigeon-like sound as it spotted Ankoku's schoolmates and their Loftwings, which responded in turn, making their masters turn at each other.

"Lord Allard! Lady Alannah! Lady Ai! Lord Kody, I once more give you my greetings and wish you a good afternoon. Do you feel enthusiast enough for the upcoming celebration?", Ankoku cheered with his usual overflowing tone, which made everyone, even the Sheikah and the Loftwings, roll their eyes.

"Not bad", Allard, a tall and muscled youth in his late teens with green eyes, brown hair and tattoos over his body, said coldly, but without hostility, as he was preparing his own Loftwing, a dark brown and fiercer version of them, one of the only two Skyloftian to posses such kind. Kody, a smaller (shorter than Ankoku himself, actually) blonde with a worryingly thin figure, shrugged, his yellow steed mimicking her, while the Alannah answering with a chuckle alongside her curiously purple eyed bird with fluttering eyelashes, as if to underline its jockey nature.

Ai, an averagely fit girl with mid-back length blond hair dressed in dark blue, looked up at her schoolmate and gave him a warmer smile.

"There you have come Ankoku" – she stated while petting her turquoise steed – "seems this time will be competing. I warn you Saro will give your Dodo a tough time at the Wing Ceremony tomorrow"

Ankoku gave her a thumb up at this, amazed by the festival as he gave another look around, still in awe and giving out a small cheer.

"My My Ankoku" – Alannah said with a laugh – "quite cheerful these days. Seems not even being kicked to the ground can keep you down today"

The young Skyloftian miserably failed to notice the excessively specific statement and laughed at this shaking his head: "No way I shall despair today, even if I get an inexplicably high number of people connecting their feet with my bum as, weirdly enough, has happened today... Regardless, I feel pumped enough to be going up for three days in a row without falling asleep"

At this, Allard, the most mature of the group, looked at Alannah, easily putting to and two together and shook his head as the fawn-haired impersonator of Hylia, which was pulling off a wide ear to ear grin at her successful prank.

Kody in the meanwhile was looking down at Ankoku's shoes, having noticed they looked heavier than usual and , knowing that Ankoku's mother was a teacher, picked up the opportunity and asked: "Excuse me, Ankoku but… am I wrong or you have made iron your shoes?"

The student in blue looked down at his feet and nodded to his companion: "You picked up correctly, Lord Kody, I have modified by shoes for this occasion. By ironing them, you get a better footing on the Loftwing and, in case you possess a light frame like mine, you get a superior stability while riding"

"I have heard of a similar technique used by the knights themselves on occasions" – the tattooed older teen stated – "I suppose your mother was who told you about"

Ankoku thought for a bit, exchanging look with his steed for a bit before answering with a laughter and correcting him: "Actually, my mother just ordered me not to fail this time"

The group actually fell silent at this, as they knew his mother's rather… straightforward strategy of training, he was telling the truth. Even the Ballad of the Goddesses seemed to have diminished in volume. Thorne could not help but raise a brow at how Ankoku seemed to be so light on such harsh treating. Gwen simply wondered why everyone was getting so silent, not making too many comments. Only Alannah kept her smirk on and broke the tension with her laughter, her Loftwing imitating her quickly.

And so she finally mused with an hand before her mouth: "Fu fu fu… sounds rather sweet, Ankoku"

Dodo answered with a gulp, but Ankoku patted it and with a light bow quipped back: "I know, and I am waiting for this day since I have been learnt to read and stumbled upon… that legend of Zelda, and of her mighty warrior"

Ankoku had been fascinated with that hero in green every time he read of him. He always imagined him swinging his blade and mowing down enemies with ease in the name of the Golden Goddesses and all good in the world, A dream come true. Little had he noticed a man who was walking by with a plate of freshly made Bombchus.

The youth's eyes lit up of a bright color as if they were reflecting the sun, hands brought together as in a sign of prayer.

"If I succeed today… It will be a step closer to my dream I will become like"– Ankoku said taking a deep breath as he let out his last word –"Link!"

Somehow, such word was said so loudly that even a few Keeses perceived it. The students backed away in surprise with their steeds and Alannah was forced to cover her over-sensitive ears from that high frequency more akin to a bat than a common person; same for the still hidden, but very eager to listen, Thorne and Gwen. But more notably, the unlucky man carrying the Bombchus was so startled that dropped all of the robotic weapons, which, upon activation due to having been set down on the ground, caused ruckus. It was all a matter of few seconds, but all these sounds of explosions sent Dodo on a freak out, and with a loud shriek, took flight as the other aspiring riders were taming their steeds and flew off Skyloft in a frenzy.

All the group of younglings was bewildered, to say the least, by how a simple action had brought such a cascade of disasters, and yet it was Ankoku's expression the most shocked, enough that Ai, as soon as she saw his shrunken eyes and paler than usual skin tone, quickly went up to assure him that everything worked out. And yet, the trembling small boy, while panicking, simply looked at the now small blur in the sky which was his Loftwing, not having lost track of it not even for a second.

He knew that his bird was shy and maybe would have come back later, after an hour or two, maybe hidden somewhere in the farthest islands… this time it had his scarf with him. And Ankoku had promised to himself NEVER to lose… that scarf.

"Worry not, guys, keep having fun" – he said with the brightest smile and the most determined eyes he could gather lifting his finger to feel the wind– "I will get Dodo back. The winds are on my favor!"

The two Sheikah were actually about to try and help him themselves, hating to see such fate befall on somebody but Mazhar, appearing out of nowhere, had already stopped them by placing herself between them and the young student. After all, they were acting on impulse and, at the moment, with the Argorok left at the graveyard… what could they actually do? Not to say it could have blown their cover. Luckily, such moved stopped them from making any rushed action. Indeed, they had to learn soon a thing about humans. While they were a mediocre race in terms of strength or intelligence, they seemed to possess a surprising amount of willpower which exploded in the most creative resourcefulness.

And indeed, Thorne could not help but state now that they were back from a safe position: "Is he… taking off his robes?"

"He is … uh…" – Gwen said tilting his head at Ankoku only in his black jumpsuit – "he seems to be also… zipping them back and. NO WAY, he is turning them into a sailcloth?"

Mazhar, who had figured out immediately what the young man was doing, nodded at the two other subordinates and made them both a gesture. Break was over, it was time to resume their job and see if any Poe was still around.

"Worry not" – Ankoku stated to his classmates observing him as he was done and was running towards the edge of Skyloft – "Unless there is going to be any big contingency, I shall successfully catch Dodo at my first try. It's not the first time he panics, I know how to deal with it"

Nodding and wishing him good luck, the students looked over and saw Ankoku transported with the handmade sailcloth by the winds , somehow catching up to the scared bird. As Kody was about to ask Allard whether Ankoku would have succeeded, a weird… verse of an ancient and powerful animal echoed… or maybe not an animal… a Deity.

Alannah was the first to pick up and yelped a bit at the sound, only to realize what it meant and mused once more: "How big is that of a contingency?"

"Quite", Allard's monosyllabically answered.

* * *

Even Ankoku slowly turned at the verse. He was not prepared the view, his eyes widened and took all his will power not to drop his jaw. A giant shade of a dark color, big as in comparable in size to a rather large building, was flowating towards him.

From a bit afar, and getting closer, there was seemed to be a giant fish… no, incorrect, more like a whale. A giant dark blue wave with what seemed a dark blue color and a sort of giant… mustaches made of clouds? Yes, that face was somehow human like with those detailed eyes and that mustache. And it was clear that it was not just old, but ancient, so much that dark grey protuberances were growing on his sides, a plate hiding his forehead. On the fins rudimentary fingers with long bones at the hand to mimic an hybrid between claws and nails completed the figure of the deity before Ankoku. And the youth was frozen in shock, as could swear that such appearance was not unfamiliar. Sure, he had never seen live just like he was doing, but on the countless books he had been reading. That picture… yes….

_'He must be one of the fabled God of the Seas, the Leviathans. Oh my… by the Wise Nayru … He must be the Wind Fish Levias' _– Ankoku thought in awe, quickly switching to terror while realizing what was happening – '_And those…. Giant fins which …. creates small scale hurricanes every time they are waving around… and he is heading towards me and Dodo… Oh my…. no…'_

What could Ankoku have said while looking at the Diety who hadn't even noticed him, just a few moments before a wave of those winds scattered across the heavens his loftwing, his scarf and himself with his sailcloth?

Just a resigned: "This is quite a big contingency! Ms. Fiona shall not be pleased with such news"

And by the unfortunate coincidence shaped by the power of Levias' fins, Ankoku was dragged away from Skyloft by the winds, soon going to be landing upon a land of myths and mysteries, first explored by a Skyloftian whose name had become legend, fabled earth promised to people by Hylia herself, battlefield of the War of Creations, home of past, present and future mysteries filled with magic, treasures, monsters and a legend built upon a thin thread of fate connecting everything.

No matter Ankoku's will…. he soon was going to see with his very immature and unready eyes that one land which had been named by the Knight Academy Headmaster a long time ago… GROOSELAND.

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:**

**The hystory of Zelda, Skyloft, Hyrule and Termina, alongside its characters and setting are (c) Nintendo**

**VinaDorenaz and Ai Lang are (c) Super-Zelda-Fanatic**

**Alannah is (c) Maanga**

**Kody is (c) ZeldaDreamsEndCreator**

**Allard is (c) RobotOwl**

******Fiona is (c) Mamading**

**Thorne is (c) LuvIsAThing**

**Gwen is (c) Kitoma Foxx**

**Ankoku Yami and the story are all (c) Xantospoc**

**Thanks you all for having read this fic, read and review please. See ya for the next chapter :)**


	3. Brave New World

******VOLUME I: The Red Thread of Fate**

**)) Chapter 3: Brave New World ((**

* * *

_Outskirt of the Faron Woods, The Surface (AKA Grooseland), 2:45 pm, First Day -_

Ankoku finally regained full consciousness from the light wetness of the grassy fieldand, and shook his head as he leant up against a tree. He had been flying for quite a long while due to the irregular air currents caused by Levias' passing in the sky. It had been a sight to behold, no doubt, and most likely the other Skyloftians had stared in awe at the deity… but for Ankoku had not been as much of a blessing. He sighed as he used the tree as a support and caressed his temples again, attempting to figure out what kind of priorities he had to settle first. Indeed, the lack of his scarf to relieve his stress was not helping at all.

At the realization that he had reached the surface… Ankoku froze in surprise and in wonder. He had to find Dodo and the scarf… in a land he had never seen… all by himself? Just like the Hero of Legend? Truly he could not get, in his opinion, a best blessing and worst misadventure all at once. Yet he was going to cope such just like his childhood idol had 75 years ago to save Zelda

He quickly decided. He had to get his scarf back. Yes, he had to, then he would have…. Before finishing his line of thoughts, he realized that Dodo was much more important to find. He could have been still in a panicked state … or worse. Yes, indeed, Dodo was the priority, then he had to get his scarf and finally return to the surface. He should have had at least 24 hours, if he had gotten this correct. Plenty of time, if he excluded training, dinner and sleeping. He hoped at least that his mother would have to be understanding of his temporary absence.

But little time he had, so he grabbed a Deku Stick and quickly decided to look for clues of his Loftwing's whereabouts. The only thing he knew was the direction Dodo seemed to have been swatted by Wind Fish towards. Better than nothing, he supposed.

Also, the odds seemed to be in his favor, the sky was crystalline, with no prospect of rain, and it was on a comfortable grass field, without any monster whasovere And even better, he seemed to be going towards a forest, close by a lake. Actually… a part of the forest seemed to had been flooded, weirdly enough. But he did not have time to think as he saw some familiar imprints on the ground.

'_Dodo_', he thought enthusiastically as he rushed further in the woods, amazed by the uniqueness of the makeup of the land compared to Skyfloft, Those trees gave a relaxing and peaceful shadow, the leaves he stepped on gave a unique background music which accompanied each one of his movements, the light shade cooled down his head. He was almost scared, and indeed had he not been alone and not determined to look for his steed, he would have needed someone else to lead him.

He finally heard the pidgeon like verses, a bit pained and rushed at his companion. As soon as he saw it, he wrapped his arms around the Loftwing, which clearly was in a pained expression.

"Come on, Dodo, you are fine, that bad God of Wind won't attack you again nor those Bombchus will harm you. There there", he said patting his steed only to notice something wrong as his gaze shifted to his right wing. That bending was not natural…

His eyes widened as he realized his companion had its wing broken. Was that the effect of the crash? He could not understand, but Dodo was clearly ashamed, Without flying, Ankoku had no idea how to get back up to Skyloft. Maybe the Kikwi had some red potions to heal the wound. Normally, wrapping around Dodo's neck his scarf worked for these cases to calm him down, but as Ankoku himself lacked it, he tried to make an impromptu healing using one of his detectable sleeves and wrapping it around the broken limb after straightening it with a piece of wood.

From the work he had done and the possible risk of infection, he knew it was not much, but at least Dodo seemed to be less in pain. The Skyloftian tried to make him move, but he seemed too afraid to walk away. After a bit, Ankoku gave up and tried to sweet talk Dodo

"Okay, my little Dodo, let's do this" – Ankoku said trying to comfort him with the brightest smile he could pull off – "I find my scarf so you can play with it, and so we go to Skyloft, okay"

The animal, understanding, made a nod and the closest thing a bird could do to a smile. Ankoku thanked Hylia and with a further pat asked Dodo: "Have you seen my scarf?"

The bird pointed at a direction and made a verse as if to confirm it was in the forest. Ankoku nodded and went into the direction he had said, constantly looking back as if to make himself sure Dodo was alright. He started looking for the special article of clothing… everywhere.

His determination had clouded his better judgment. He did not think, just acted, and, keeping the the Deku Stick on himself using his belt, with a leap he started to climb up like a small monkey the trunk to see up the scarf. Having never climbed a tree before, he nearly slid once or twice, but his determination allowed him for a stronger grip than usual, already loving how he had found an item he cared so much for…

'_Are all the trees in these woods so similar I end up switching them as I am about to reach for my scarf?',_he thought, his enthusiasm-driven energy wearing out not noticing the small chuckle filling the air of the woods. Once more as he had gotten to the top of the tree, no trace of the scarf …

"Oh oh good good" – a voice stated echoing from almost any direction in a somewhat mocking tone – "what is a Wind Born doing here?"

"Looking for a scarf", Ankoku mused looking down and then staring at the other three not seeming to pay attention to the new voice, or at least not considering it much of a threat. A figure slowly faded in, almost next to Ankoku.

First thing were two bright golden eye, then sparkles quickly appeared forming two pointy ears and a pronounced snout, followed by a long and thin neck covered by a piece of red cloth, A canine body swifly appeared, finishing with three long and also fluffy looking tails. Ankoku normally would have watched the spectacle in awe as weren't for the fact the small yellow-furred fox-like creature with a big grin had appeared just over Ankoku's back, his snout next to his face.

"A scarf, uh? In this forest? You must be lucky if you want to find it", he mused to Ankoku, who quickly quipped back with an approval verse.

It took a small while for Ankoku to understand, and then finally looked at the face of small animal, not focusing on anything below its head. Confused at the situation and the animal's excessively vivid gaze, waved at him instinctively.

The answer was a bright and cheerful: "Well well, what do we have here? A Wind Born looking for his scarf?"

"Greetings there"; Ankoku quickly quipped back politely, bowing his head and taking a deep breath as his hands struggled to get hold of the branch without making too much effort, not really looking back at the Keaton, due to his search being all he had in his focus.

At this the many-tailed fox, who already knew all along why was there, started moving suggestively his brows, laughed out loudly and said, recalling the time he had met a leader of another tribe of his species: "Funny, there was only another who gave me a calm answer"

The young boy widened his eyes, thinking whoever could it be, only a name coming up in his mind. Only a name came out of his mind and asked without turning: "Who? Link?"

"Curious ?", the fox quickly answered dismissing him, his grin wide due to his new interlocutor's weird calmness, enough to decide that it to get another different kind of amusement to let the boy atop the tree to initiate the conversation.

"Quite a bit" – Ankoku stated, making the Keaton shrug with his huge smile, before attempting to resume the conversation again and ask him for his scarf back – "So… what… or rather, who would you be?"

The fox looked left and right, pretending not to know the boy was talking to him, pointed at himself and asked with his grin with a tone loud enough to cover any other sound: "Me?"

Ankoku and stated and, pointing at him, distributing his weight : "Yes, indeed, I am addressing you with such question"

The nameless canine laughed and leaning his head forward and answered slowly: "My name… starts ... with ... K"

"A K…." – Ankoku promptly answered placing his finger in a thinking position, then said aloud the name of the K-starting race he remembered the most – "Kikwi?"

There was a deep moment of silence before the animal busted into an hysterical laughter , having quite some fun with the Skyfloftian. He was even about to bump his tiny fist on the ground, but realized he was not that amused.

Rubbing his head with his paw and shaking it in disapproval, he stated: " I'm a Keaton, human, you need to know better. Even '_Kurious_ for when we fall, but I would say five seconds' could have been a decent answer"

Ankoku raised a brow, not noticing any sound aside from the Keaton's loud voice at the last statement and he repeated it: "Curious for when we fall, but I would say five seconds? What do you mean by that, the branch does not seem to be about to…"

Of course, he was promptly cut off by several more cracking sounds and then, just in time to fully realize, the small wood broke at the combined weight of the two.

"Fall", Ankoku yelled as he crashed down while the Keaton faded with a wide laugher. Luckily, he was not at an high height, so he got out of that with no wound.

Before he could comment or even have time to dust his clothes off, the blue dressed boy felt a weight on his head, and saw the two sides of his scarf dangling down, quickly followed by the nameless Keaton's face only inches from his own. It had been fun… too bad the branch did not hold up more. Maybe making him fall by tickling him with his tail would have been more fun. Alas, past was past… and luckily for him, the boy was still there

"That was fun, can we do it again? heheheh"; the three tailed fox cheered pumping his fist to successfully startle Ankoku, making his interlocutor almost jump back.

The young man, clearly ditzy at the quick round of happenings, winced a bit and trying to bottle his emotions up, and stated to mutter: "Y-y-yes, why not? M-m.-maybe another day…. Listen sir… Keaton, I do thank for your caring, but might I know… do you have any clue for where such a scarf might be?"

The inhabitant of the Surface, teleporting in front of him between two trees and walking on all fours. At his Ankoku 's eye twitched as he saw. Around the Keaton's neck… his scarf. So… the Keaton had known all along why he was there. He had been wearing the scarf all along…. The answer at his question was…

"Maybe?" - the fox like creature asked tilted his head, his grin betraying the innocence of the sentence – "Lemme guess. We got lucky, uh?"

Ankoku was looking still unable to answer at what he was seeing, trying to figure out why that animal was acting like this.

The Keaton feigned surprise and placing his paw before his mouth stated in a fake shock: "My my, don't tell me THIS is the scarf?"

A speechless Ankoku nodded and bowed before him.

"Yes, that is the scarf… now… excuse me… might I have it?", the Skyloftian said met by the Keaton's grin and narrowed eyes.

"Hmm….", the small fox-like creature mused tilting his head and walking forward, the wind blowing the scarf giving him an enigmatic look. In his mind only a thought echoed.

_Amusing._

"Guess", the Keaton said with a grin. He was meeting such a unique wind person, so the opportunity was worth more milking

Ankoku looked and repeated puzzled: "Guess what?"

At this the Keaton darkly chuckled, winked and, without answering, vanished, making Ankoku try to rush and catch him but in vain.

Before he could get up, Keaton had returned a few feet to his left, holding a '7' sign appeared out of nowhere to value that dive

"Guess" the Keaton repeated grinning somehow wider, the sign vanishing

At this Ankoku attempted to prove he was like Keaton by laughing breathed deeply and said in the most conceivably unconvincing way: "Ah ah ah…"

"Oh, by Her Grace" – the Keaton laughed back shaking his head, his ears twitching in amusement at his – "Nope, but nice try"

Before Ankoku could answer, the animal had teleported before him and said: "Boo"

This made the Skyloftian jump a foot away which made the Keaton laugh. And yet he quickly came back to his sense and jumped again at the Keaton, only to have the small fox teleport and getting against a tree for his toruble

"Do you want the scarf? Take it" – the Keaton said on a branch with a wink finishing in song-like tone – "that's what I am counting on…."

This made the Skyloftian jump a foot away which made the Keaton laugh. And yet he quickly came back to his sense and jumped again at the Keaton, only to have the small fox teleport and getting against a tree for his trouble

"Do you want the scarf?" the Keaton, appearing from a branch, hummed and concluded once more with a wink. As Ankoku faced him, he teleported to another tree and repated the same prank... two or three time: he had to run the joke before it grew stale after all.

Ankoku sat down and sighed. That animal was acting more like a nuisance as of now. He tried to shake a tree down to make him fall, but the Keaton just teleported on his head and covered his eyes with his paws.

To further twist this, he added before vanishing again: "Who's there?"

Ankoku tried to look for him once more, but this time, the Keaton's laughter was just echoing through all the woods. The young Skyloftian looked at his steed, quite distant but visible, and seemed to be covering his face with a wing in embarrassment.

"Worry not Dodo, he is just pranking us around. It will be a matter of ten minutes and I will get the scarf back"; he said to assure the bird, whose answer was a mere sigh.

This said, Ankoku returned to rush at the Keaton, who had been sitting behind him the second the Wind Child had ignored him.

* * *

_Faron Woods, The Surface, 5:30 pm, First Day -_

Ankoku had no real chance against the teleport-wielding magical creature.

Every time, his attempts to rush when he could, ended up with him jumping and ending face fist on a bed of leaf, with the Keaton teleporting on a safe spot and taunting him. The young skyloftian could have sworn that in one of those taunting, the fox was somehow walking backward despite his legs were moving forward, although, most of the times he simply chuckled. If he were in a good mood, he even went up to sit on his head.

"Missed? Come on, you can do it", the animal further mocked with a small laugh. Once or twice he had even comforted him by patting him with his tail. Ankoku would have gotten upset at this, but that tail was so fuzzy and cuddly he could forgive him.

Alas, even at his full speed, the Skyloftian was not able to get not even a close hold on him. And when it seemed he was about to get him, then the Keaton turned, his wink revealing that he had been just pretending to let his guard down and vanish again in a loud poof. Ankoku went so far to wonder if said poof was an effect of the magic or the Keaton mimicking the sound. He should have asked one day.

But what was the cheery of the top of this game, to further humiliate him, the fox-like creature was doing no real harm to him, also because, in the Keaton's eyes, he was no threat whatsoever. Every time he run onto a tree, fell onto a branch or tripped… it was all Ankoku's doing.

The one reason Ankoku had not given up after the tenth time was due to a mantra he was reciting, of five simple words: _Link would successfully catch him_

Unfortunately, what Ankoku failed to see was that, alas, he was no Link, and even if he were, he lacked any equipment for a proper hunt like this one.

He had just just a Deku Stick and a few floating detachable clothing, and he refused to use the former because he did not wish to hurt him. After all, the teleporting canine was not that malicious. Obnoxious at worst, but even then nothing for which to waste a stick which might have broken if used improperly.

In the end, Ankoku's stamina run out and sat down, panting and using his Deku Stick to stand. The Keaton quickly appeared before him and smirked, finished his silent snark with a wink.

"Okay" – Ankoku panted after taking a deep sigh – "you won the thirty-first round. You are quite formidable in your magic. Reminds me of a book my father read me when I was a child"

The Keaton did not answer, but from his expression, was clearly flattered. He was having fun, and the fact his new victim was not taking anything in stride his prank. They both were interrupted by Dodo's pidgeon like verse, as he was calling for his master. Ankoku sighed and nodded, then turned at the Keaton

"Well" – Ankoku stated with one more deep breath as he got up – "that was… a rather bafflingly unique experience, Sir… Keaton, but alas, I have to set once more my priorities"

The magical canine tilted his head holding with an hand an sign with a sad face appeared from thin air, and answered still with his amused voice: "Really? But awww… well well, at least it was fun. Hehe, I suppose…"

"But worry not, I suppose I might return… tomorrow? So we can settle this thing with my scarf", Ankoku said laughing and rubbing the back of his head as if not to let him down.

The Keaton thought for a while. He was actually going to teleport from behind him and tie Ankoku's scarf back to his neck and disappear with a laughter echoing through the forest…. On the other side…. Ankoku was essentially giving himself for further pranks. Could he miss such opportunity?

The fox-like creature shrugged feigning indifference, but his wink and smile hinting that he had more to hide. Ankoku, not minding this, bowed and was about to part ways with him but, then in his mind something clicked. There was something iffy in these woods: he had heard that in Faron woods there was still a small number of monsters and, had he wished to admit it out loud or not, he had been catching for the Keaton for quite a while. How hadn't any of them run across them?

"Wait, a question" – Ankoku stated turn – "I need to know …"

Before he could speak, the Keaton and his scarf had vanished in a silent glimmer of magic, the laughter of the teleporter once more breaking the silence of the forest as it faded out.

* * *

_Faron Woods, The Surface, 6 pm, First Day -_

Little else Ankoku could do. He had to treasure the time he had and so he quickly went to take his steed wrapping his arm around the fluffy plumed neck and started exploring further the woods, regularly checking the impromptu bandaging time he had placed on the wing, and silently apologizing to his Loftwing for not being a doctor, to which the animal answered wish a shrug. At least, though, Ankoku had a small plan. From what he had read in books of the several tales of the surface, there was a friendly race down there, the Kikwi. Maybe with their help and the magic of their forest… who knew, Dodo might have been healed quickly. That's what he hoped for, at least. As he was about to reach the place, he could not help but feel a weird smell. Not a stench, but nonetheless unpleasant. It felt like when he had a bath with hot water and kept the door closed. It was…

'_Humidity_', he thought as he looked at his ironed boots and saw the dirt looked somewhat wet, as if that place had somehow been subject of a relatively recent flooding and that all the humus had been left. Weird… Ankoku looked around the place, full of bigger trunks which were large enough to fit even a small house from Skyloft. Not that he could see anyone. He looked at Dodo for confirmation and he shrugged.

"Alas, our journey seems far from an end…", Ankoku stated to his steed with another sigh and promply sat down on a brown rock. He was about to notice that was awfully soft to be made of stone, but then…

"KWEE", a voice from the rock cried making Ankoku jump up as he looked at the object moving, clearly a bit hurt due to a Skyloftian sitting on him. It looked like a bird with a brown beak and blank white eyes which looked as if drawn on his face, with stubby feet and legs.

"Kwee, why did you sit on me?", the Kikwi said with a sad tone, as if he were about to sob out of pain. He knew they were skilled with hiding themselves, but did not know such side effect could be so… painful. And that animal in front of him was… scary.

Ankoku too froze a bit… If only because the Kikwi was so overwhelmingly cute he wanted to pet it all day long. From his face, even Dodo seemed to agree on this.

"My strict apologies, Kikwi, for I meant no harm, nor I were aware of your presence. My greetings and humble apologies, little one" – Ankoku stated with an apologetic bow – "my name is Ankoku Yami, son of Kage Yami and Shini Goroshi. Honored to meet you, especially for I need your assistance"

The Kikwi looked a bit mistrustful at the boy, but decided he might have not been that much of a threat and stated with a cute and infinitely shy voice, as his small leg were shaking: "You… talk strangely… kwee…. And hi…. Ankoku… I am Lopsa. What do you need help for?"

Ankoku promptly made a gesture at Dodo, and the Loftwing stepped forward showing his broken wind. Lopsa looked and said a scared: "Oh my kwee! You need the Elder's assistance!"

"Elder?", Ankoku asked confused.

"Elder Machi, yes! He has been hiding for a bit, but you should find him" - the Kikwi stated, then stated intimidated – "you … found me … after all"

"My deep gratitude", Ankoku said with a bow as he was about to take his leave with his steed, accidentally stepping on a small stick

"Oh… And when you meet him…. Tell him I am fine", Lopsa said before hearing the small noise and hiding again.

* * *

_Faron Woods, The Surface, 6:15 pm, First Day _

It was not particularly difficult, but in the end Ankoku found what supposed it was the Elder, as it was an almost ten feet tall rock of a similar color to Lopsa's.

"It seems another human found me. Kee-paleep. I am Machi, the Kikwi elder. You are quite an expert searcher if you found me. I would have considered you scary, hadn't I met once a human with even better skills and if I hadn't grown several feet taller. So, how can I help you?", the Elder asked in a very relaxed voice, standing up and showing his true aspect , with short 'mustaches' made of moss pointing upward like his 'beak' and sitting down. Dodo's eyes widened at his size, Ankoku had paid no mind, as he heard a mention of what he really thought was his eternal childhood hero.

When the Elder concluded, Ankoku answered: "Gentle and wise Elder of the noble race of the Kikwi. I have come so far for I need some assistance. I have ended up due to an unfortunate misadventure stranded here in the Surface, with my loyal steed injured and a wish motivated also by an urgency caused by personal matters"

Quickly Ankoku switched pose and, with one more bow,continued: "Therefore I beg you, gentle and wise Elder Machi, offer assistant to my Loftwing and heal his wounds, such is my last hope to return up in the sky"

Machi heard remaining collected at the wound and finally spoke: "I am sorry, youngling, but we Kikwi don't possess any possible power to heal broken bones. Kee-paleep. I can't help you…"

At this, Ankoku bowed his head resigned, about to part ways, although he reminded of one more of his books and asked: "Do you think that I might speak then to the Light Dragon Faron to ask for her assistance?"

The Elder thought: unfortunately, he was aware of Faron's capricious nature, so he knew that sending the young Wind Child to her was too big of a risk. And even if she were willing for help, there was another problem.

"It would not work either" – the Kikwi stated – "Faron and her brothers have been called back to the heavens by the King of the Dragon Gods, Ordona the Light Spirit, over fifty years ago. Kee-paleep. so they are not in the Surface anymore. Problematic, uh?"

Seeing the boy discomforted though, the big Kikwi continued: "But… I can tell you of a thing. Kee-paleep. Yes, when I was young I heard of several myths. Kee-paleep. Of people who looks more like you than me, who always remain little and short and have small orbs of light who accompany them. Kee-paleep. They have a lot of magic, and are blessed by Farore"

Ankoku's eyes widened at the mention of the Golden Goddess and lit up as he saw one more hope and begged: "Please, do tell more"

"Uhhh" – Machi said trying to remember everything and pointed with his small arm at a direction of his left –" they are said to live in the very core of the forest, in the Lost Woods of Faron's Sacred Grove, over there. But I warn you that the Woods shall test you once you are there. They say only people with hearts like a child's can get there"

At this Ankoku made a very loud cheer and smiled as he profusely thanked the Elder.

"You should have no problem, kee-paleep, cool"; the Kikwi stated with a smile.

"I hope such judgement will be a blessing as well, noble Elder, for I shall venture pronto. I am deeply grateful for such a unique information and opportunity. I will treasure it and, in case, I shall let you know whether I have found such fabled children-like spirits", he stated with a bow and exchanging greetings, took off to go away from the area and reach the area of the forest where the woods grew thicker alongside Dodo. He was scared, and so was the Loftwing. Luckily they were together, up against the legendary woods blessed by the Goddess of Courage.

* * *

_The Lost Woods of Faron's Sacred Grove, The Surface, 6;30 pm, First Day _

It was… too difficult to describe what was happening. It was true the forest of the lost woods were enchanted. It was an endless maze of beautiful grass fields and beautiful vegetation whose brightness and lusciousness could have never been imagined by Ankoku, no matter how many pictures he could remember from any book he had read.

And the magic… yes, indeed, there was no doubt magic. Ankoku and Dodo could feel it… no, they could smell it. The air was so thick and … mesmerizing, Ankoku felt more than once the need to rest using the Deku Stick as support, for if his senses felt as if leaving him. After just the fourth area, he had already gotten lost, yet his determination in finding that forest with magical children was giving him enough energy to make him struggle on his feet against all the odds and lead Dodo with him. In the end, they reached what was a narrow passage and they entered. They were in a black corridor and before them curious images were flashing, of a weird heart, of races he had never glimpsed before and many other things he could not fully comprehend.

It was like that dream he had back the previous night about Hylia… only that this was too real. It was unsettling, to say the least.

As he kept venturing further into the forest appeared before him once traversed that unique place, until the vegetation became smaller and more rare, a sign he was getting somewhere. He finally reached the place which seemed his destination. It was a the dark interior of a building, before him a technology he had never seen before with gigantic slabs of metal working by sliding into each other, letting out a pleasant rhythm.

It was strange… but surely for such a place there was no doubt the works of the Deities behind it… right? Unaware of the presence gazing at him in the shadows, the Skylfotian made a sign to Dodo to stand back and finally reached what was a gigantic door and, pushing it with his strength, opened it, although he could not help but feel he was not his alone in moving the giant planks of wood.

It was not a forest anymore. Before him, as the sun seemed to be about to set and It was a whole city, of a different style than skylfot, all covered in red stones, houses of bricks and woods. And he seemed to be standing on a giant tower where at the top there was the images of a giant sun and the moon, all surrounded by the number from 1 to 12 set in a circular and homogenous pattern, with two long sticks, one longer than the other, fixed with a giant symbol at the center.

And how many inhabitants of every age and unique array.

* * *

_Center of Clock Town, Termina, 7:45 pm, First Day _

"Alas, Dodo" – Ankoku said in disbelief at what he was seeing, finally realizing how far he had gotten lost – "This is no children's land"

**END OF VOLUME I**

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:**

**The hystory of Zelda, Skyloft, Hyrule and Termina, alongside its characters and setting are (c) Nintendo**

**The nameless Keaton is (c) Maanga**

**Ankoku Yami and the story are all (c) Xantospoc**

**Thanks you all for having read this fic, read and review please. See ya for the next chapter :)**


	4. They Who Watch The Watchmen

**VOLUME II: The Revenge Of The Forsaken**

**))** **Chapter 2: They Who Watch The Watchmen ((**

* * *

_Inside the Clock Tower, Termina, 7:45 pm, First Day -_

What humans would have glimpsed at first sight was a child innocently playing with a rotund and featureless mask while she was chanting an innocent song. She lifted the mask up to the air, waved it around, then placed it back on the wall, alongside the several other masks and hoods she herself had crafted, then sat down on a seat where behind there was an immense organ which she occasionally practiced at. Upon a closer look, people would have noticed that despite her long and flowing pink and red dress, on her innocent face, decorated with red colored body art shaped like crimson tears running down her checks, framed by her brunette hair, that her eyes were of a bloody red color, typical of the race known as Sheikah.

And even despite such belonging to a race could have already been considered somewhat stunning to commoners, only few were selected to know Aria's nature, the main guardian of Termina. As she was about to try and play with the organ some cheerful melody, she felt it: a new presence, the second in less than a week, coming exactly from the same entrance, to boot. It was weird, and most likely both apparitions were connected somehow.

She glimpsed at the newcomer. It was a boy even shorter than her clad in blue flowing robes and a black jumpsuit of sorts, and a large blue colored bird was following him. She remembered of having heard of those Loftwings, but she thought they were supposed to be all in Skyloft to guard over Hylia's children alongside the Sheikah and the Ancient Ones…

She held one of her favorite mask, a unique hood which had a pair of floppy bunny-like ears, as she mused: _'Another rabbit fell into the hole of Wonderland'_

Yes, there was something weird. From the expression of the child, he seemed to be lost, though… still, could such a new variable somehow mess up with the unique balance of Termina?

'_I am not going to miss this_', the Guardian of Termina thought with a big smile on her lips. After all, there was already her assistant to take care of the masks and the entrance in the clock tower, so she could cut some slack and follow him.

As Aria walked, she used a technique akin to the Shadow Folks she could be mistaken for as she hid in the shadows. But her technique was somewhat different than the one of Hylia's protectors, for they blended in the shadow… she _became _the shadow, slowly melting into dark energy and hiding wherever light did not seep. Slowly, her essence quickly reached Ankoku's and latched onto it, giving him a small impulse of energy which helped him slamming wide the door of Clock Town. Aria smirked, amused by his reaction. She rarely left the Tower due to her duty… on the other side, there were bigger problems, related to the very reason she had been guarding Termina in the first place.

Observing… and waiting. This was her task given by the Golden Goddesses. And watch over the world hidden in the shadows, spying on the light, only to reveal herself at the moment those two opposite united, like at that moment, in the twilight… this was one of the countless aspects of the nature of Aria, Goddess of Shadows.

* * *

_North of Clock Town, Termina, 8:00 pm, First Day -_

Ankoku, not noticing at all his shadow had become a bit darker, hesitantly stepped out of the clock tower and let the twilight of Termina's sun cover him with its orange-ish tint, holding Dodo close to him, as much as bewildered as his master. They had been walking in fear through the new city, his bird by the side, both of them scared and confused. Where were they?

The only thing he was sure was that it was not the place the Kikwi Elder had suggested him… mostly because they were an awful lots of adults for being a village where only children were supposed to live. And they dressing code… so different from what he was used to. They looked to have a relatively simpler design of clothing and overall there seemed to be… a quite simpler life.

And it was not just their appearance, but their behavior. Their emotions were kept so low key, to Ankoku there seemed as if there was something a rather large gap missing… it was unsettling to the youngling, to say the least

A glaring example? A young boy like him dressed unlike any other walking with a giant blue bird with a color scheme identical to his master's coming from the center of the city… how did people react from such sight? Not even a flinch. A few people who noticed he was looking at them just stared back and waved at him, a thing he kindly replied to due to the etiquette he had strictly taught himself. To unsettle him the most, though, was the lack of any holy symbol in the place. Not a glimpse of Holy Triforce, no mention of Master Swords or of the Crimson Loftwing. Not an effigy to Her Grace? It seemed Termina had no deities at all. How in the world it was possible?

_How can a godless world exist?_, he wondered inwardly panicking at such prospective, fearing what it could have meant. On one side, he wished to get back… and yet thirst of knowledge was leading him to explore this place. One of the biggest quirks was the moon. It was as distant as it was from the Surface, yet it seemed to have … a face? Oh well, at least it looked to be a genuinely bright smile.

But as he reached the North Area, he could not help but flinch at what he saw. Was that a … man dressed in a green skin right jumpsuit… floating atop a balloon. This was too much to Ankoku. To worsen the situation, the man's appearance reminded the Skyloftian too much of Link: considering how that man was fat, horribly built, had a red nose like a drunken and some atrocious facial air, could not help but remain aghast in terror.

Had Ankoku known of the certain last words of a Demon King, he would have defined that thing the very reincarnation of the purest hatred. Still, the bizarre individual had gotten him too curious and could not help but try to get his attention.

As his master's yells failed, Dodo let out a loud yell which startled the floating man to the point and popped his balloon by waving too much his pen, making himself fall down with a light thud to the ground.

Quickly dusting off his own clothes, the green glad man greeted the younger Skyloftian, noticing the Loftwing at his interlocutor's side: "Hello there… Oh my, are you are a Skyloftian like me? What are you doing in Termina?"

The younger man blinked at the mention of that name: _Termina? Is this the name of this unique land?_

Ankoku, feeling a somewhat weird sense offamiliarity with that individual, narrowing his eyes, nodded as he recognized the individual and unwittingly switched topic: "You are… the map seller from the Bazaar, Mr. Tingle, aren't you?"

At this Tingle, realizing the puzzled expression on the now, caught the opportunity to get a costumer and nodded with a big grin while stating: "You got me. I see you are here to buy any map, aren't you? I have drawn areas of all this world… "

He finished the sentence nervously muttering something about the further corner of Ikana Valley and a 'those damned ghosts', but quickly returned to his creepy grin as he faced the young Skyloftian again who, shrugging resigned at the weirdness of the place, and bought a map of Clock Town as he further asked him: "So… Mr. Tingle, might I know how did you end up here?"

Tingle looked at him suspiciously, looked first at his left, then at his right, then placed himself uncomfortably close to Ankoku and whispered him: "I have been looking for fairy boys"

At this, while some could have gotten this wrong, Ankoku yelled aloud in surprise at having something in common: "Fairy boys?"

"Yes, Fairy Boys. Surprised? I am supposed to be a fairy boy as well… but no fairy came for me" - Tingle stated sadly, while his interlocutor did his best to keep a straight face before him – "it's weird, I even dressed up like them"

As Ankoku was given a vision which would have scarred him for life, hecould not help but muse at how striking was the similarity between those fairy boys and the Hero's clothing. Could there be any relation? How many speculation he could make up? Everything not to focus on that creepy man in front of him.

"I … see…" - the Skyloftian quipped back with a nod and a frozen face, quickly piecing together what had happened to the map seller– "And I suppose you have ended up here from the Lost Woods as you had been looking for the fairy boys, right?"

Incredibly enough, at this the young man could not help but feel a bit gloomy for how that bizarre map seller had been stranded in this godless world. Leaning on a thick and tall pole, he waited for Tingle to answer, and got a nod.

"But I am not that sad about this. I left that place by my own will. Plus here they are more willing to get map at higher prices… and I found a wife, my beloved Pinkle. We even have a nice condo near Ikana Valley, think of that", Tingle mused with a few wide gestures and making a funny face at his wife's mention. Ankoku genuinely wondered who in the world would marry him, a thought Dodo shared, as it got clear when steed and master crossed their stares, then finished his endless flow of thought by scratching his head and sighing.

There was only one more thing he could ask.

"So… As I am a newcomer in this land… what would you suggest me to do to…?", the younger boy questioned. As he was about to further ask if he knew a way out, Tingle cut him off.

"Ask one of the Four Giants", the man in green blurted out. Without waiting for a further reaction from the blue-clad interlocutor he pointed up at the pole the Skyloftian was leaning against.

It was not a pole at all… it was a leg. An infinitely long leg with a huge foot. At this Ankoku stood back, making sign to Dodo to come back as if he wanted to see the creature's full size. The more he looked, the more he could not help but feel intimidated by such size. And those freakish proportions, with those long and spindly limbs all attached to a relatively small triangle shaped head with thick mustaches covering his mouth, and yet deep round black eyes whose depth of knowledge and wisdom reflected Ankoku could not help but change his mind: THIS had made his day.

Ankoku looked at him, and, to his surprise the giant was looking back at him, although, had he been more attentive, he would have noticed that the imposing individual was staring at his shadow, recognizing his superior's presence. A weird roar, somehow not threatening at all, echoed in the air, and, even more weirdly, maybe due to some kind of magic the Skyloftian could not fully grasp, it was perfectly intelligible to human ear.

"Greetings… you … too", the boy responded with a light bow, at which the Giant let another clear verse, which his interlocutor fully understood. In the meanwhile, Tingle had taken a balloon out of nowhere and was about to float again.

"My name … is… Ankoku Yami", the young man stated as he kept speaking to the giant who had kindly offered him a hand so that the young man and Dodo could stay at the Giant's eye level. Ankoku's amazement only rose as he saw, from the corner of his eye that behind the giant there were other three of that kin, pretty much identical except in maybe some light shade of the colors, all of them guarding Termina from every direction and, occasionally, between them, a small… red figure came up and looked alongside them. Before he could focus more on it, he decided to switch his attention to the bigger figures immediately.

"Oh… I see… such unique land… protected by you, your three brothers… And your superior… I understand…" - he answered, then looked at the direction the immense guardian, towards the east, and interrupted him – "what's up in that land?"

Tingle, who was again floating said: "These are the lands beyond Ikana too hostile, ever since those ninja had been infesting it. And I hate this, as I can't make maps of that place… plus, I heard there might be a Fairy Boy with them"

Ankoku turned at the green-clad man, not paying attention at the last statement, asking aloud: "Ninja?"

"That's how they define themselves" – Tingle further explained – "their name seems to be Garo, a race who comes neither from this land … or ours"

The Skyloftian understandably widened his eyes in surprise. He had barely seen another land, that there was a mention of another? Just how much vast was the world the Goddesses created?

The giant continued with his almost melodic roar, explaining Ankoku how that mysterious tribe had been in a so far silent and unarmed but sharp conflict against the King of the Valley, and how much he seemed to fear war. Ankoku seemed to be about to ask why the giants didn't deal with such themselves, decided to take a quick course of actions, hoping that, by exploring that place and aiding the Giants alongside all of the Terminans, he could have found either ways to heal Dodo or to get back Hyrule, possibly both.

Dodo looked at his master, who glanced at him with a concerned look, and petted him: "Don't worry; we'll get there in time"

"If you… don't mind… I will … go there… to … investigate", he stated kindly. The Giant seemed at first rather hesitant at doing this, but then glimpsed once more at Ankoku's shadow. While the boy had been bowing, the shadow he casted down the Giant's hand had not matched his movements. It was more giving the guardian a thumb up, a thing which made the observer widen his eyes. Had she been here all along?

With a roar the North Giant approved such, making the young child of Hylia's cheer in joy at having for once the course of his actions run smoothly.

"My infinite gratitude, sir, I shall do my best", Ankoku thanked the lesser deity with a broad smile which quickly faded he saw, much to his surprise, that Tingle had ended up floating next to him, looking at him with an unsettling grin.

"As you are there already, can you make a map of that place?", the green-clad man asked with a wide grin which sent Ankoku shivers down his back, to the point that was about to tell him that he would have done anything just in exchange of him stopping smiling. He just nodded which ended up Tingle giving him a long scroll, a brush and some ink.

"Good luck, blue boy. I hope these words from a fairy like me will bring you good luck" – Tingle said with a dance – "Tingle, Tingle! Kooloo-Limpah! ...These are the magic words that Tingle created himself. Don't steal them!"

"I promise not to", the younger man stated while exchanging looks with Dodo, who seemed to be lightly horrified by that bizarre man-child.

As the map maker disappeared up in the sky, the other Skyloftian and his steed were gently set down by the guardian god and after kindly greeting him goodbye, set towards the east, on the mysterious land of the Ikana Valley and beyond. And yet it was neither the boy's enthusiasm nor his visual quirks what was lingering on the mind of the Giant and his brothers, who had silently looked on for all the time. It was that shadow, possessed by their superior. After all, if they all controlled one of the four cardinal direction, there had to be one checking the center and supervising them, right? Well… their superior happened to be a mischievous yet well-meaning goddess who had been hiding inside the shadow , clearly enthusiast about how the youngling had been so eager to go to Ikana Valley himself.

But why? Did she have a plan?

… Of course not. Aria was a quick thinker who loved to be guided by emotions rather than cold reasoning of sorts, she would have prepared in case of some given scenario, but never would have laid out a plan. Usually such approach had been working for her, but the Giants were still worried, hoping she knew what she was doing.

After all… there was a common say among the deities, one used both as a motivator to remember never to yield at difficulties and as memento for a time, hopefully forgotten, which still inspired fear among who was ancient enough to witness it.

There are far greater horrors in the Stone Tower Temple

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:**

**The hystory of Zelda, Skyloft, Hyrule and Termina, alongside its characters and setting are (c) Nintendo**

**Aria is (c) LuvIsAThing**

**Ankoku Yami and the story are all (c) Xantospoc**

**Thanks you all for having read this fic, read and review please. See ya for the next chapter :)**


	5. The Melancholy In The Darkness

**VOLUME II: The Revenge Of The Forsaken**

**)) Chapter 5: The Melancholy In The Darkness ((**

* * *

_ Towards Ikana Valley, Termina Field 9:30pm, First Day_

Despite his sense of hurry towards the goal given by the Giants, Ankoku could not help but remain in awe at admiring Termina's fields at night. They looked quite different from the Surface he had the honor to walk on that very afternoon, having a grass of a slightly darker hue and seeming mostly encircled by mountains. In his moment of mesmerism, he was nearly trampled over a slim figure running like crazy, yelling something about the Skyloftian being in the way of his schedule. Luckily, Dodo saved his owner's life by tugging him away with his beak, causing him to yelp a bit as he fell on his back. Luckily after all the time he had ended up hurting himself while catching Keaton, he had learnt to ignore the pain, so he quickly dusted himself.

"Bravo,my Dodo, bravo", Ankoku complimented the Loftwing which was rolling his eyes at the side, yet both of them got quickly distracted when they saw the entrance towards what seemed to be a barren valley, a place which looked as cold as the stone it was made of… and yet this was not what had made the youth's eyes widen in surprise and his hands uncontrollably sweat: there seemed to be a giant, immense tower over there, a building which seemed to be even dwarfing the Giants, or the whole Clock Town itself. It was by far the biggest and most imposing building he had ever seen. Not even the huge temples he had glimpsed through the pictures of his books could hold a candle onto it.

_'Is this' –_ Ankoku wondered, getting more nervous for some reason he could not point out, a sensation shared by his steed – '_a stronghold to last through the ages or … something worse? It does not even seem to be built by human hands'_

"… Ikana Valley?", he wondered aloud seeing this new land. An answer was given as the shadows moved out of a sign with an arrow where was the confirmation he had taken the correct path. At first confused due to the unnatural shape of the shadows, Ankoku shook his head and decided to continue his journey towards the mysterious land and the giant building at its end.

After a few steps, he could not help but feel chills crawling on his back, making his knees shake and fall on the ground, Dodo immediately rushing after him. As the Skyloftian's mind struggled to take back the control of his body, he figured out what was happening. This behavior was not caused by anxiety, it was sorcery. As he finally triumphed over the enchantment, both heand Dodo turned at an hollow sound of clapping from a small creature, not over four feet and a half in height, barely covered by a black shirt with short sleeves and dark short pants, a black and (weirdly enough) pink-striped hat which hid the upper part of his face. Add the clawed hands which were resting upon a belt with what seemed to be strapped a sheathed sword in, the pitch back skin of a weird consistence and the occasional flares of a blue colored aura through his body, and Ankoku could immediately figure it was a demon what was standing atop that cliff.

"Took you a while to get back on your feet after a low level spell", he sardonically spat with an echoing voice and flashing a smile full of sharp fangs, making Ankoku widen his eyes in surprise.

"Not a word to say?" – the imp continued as he looked amused – "or has the spell muted you?"

"Actually, I do have quite a few question to ask" – Ankoku interjected all of sudden, letting words flowing due to the panic surging through his body – "first of all, please, do allow me to present myself . My name is Ankoku Yami, son of Kage Yami and Shini Goroshi, from Skyloft, who has somehow ended up due to a series of misadventures ended up here on Ikana Valley. With whom do I have the honor to speak to exactly?"

At this the imp did not react, using all the willpower possible not to blink, yet inwardly wished his new interlocutor would have rather been mute. He glanced first at both a sides, then his crimson eyes got right back staring at the young boy, then at his Loftwing, and got a wicked idea.

"Just the messenger of the Garos" - the imp stated, knowing the kid would have frowned at such statement, giving him enough time to take his ocarina – "and I was tasked to deliver you an important message, Sky Child"

Ankoku looked up more curious, remembering what Tingle and the Giants had told him of the Garos, and he could not help but feel wary of what the curious individual was saying. It was as if a sensation coming from the darkest corner of his mind twas telling him to get out of there immediately. Alas, Ankoku was still unharmed, with the exception of the Deku Stick he had picked up back at Faron's Woods, he was not prepared for a serious fight in case.

"I would love to, but alas, I have little time and bigger matters bid me to hurry. Might we try for another time?", the Skyloftian answered as an excuse to avoid to linger for too long with the mysterious individual and to get away with Dodo, but as he spoke, the imp had already started playing a slow and melancholic melody which would have fit in a funeral.

Before the youngling could leave, he saw a faint glow behind the imp, from where something faded in, as if invoked: a weird statue of a dark grey color, similar to a distorted and deformed version of its invoker, with longer and thinner limbs, a bulkier physique and a misshapen face with blank eyes and even worse, such nightmarish figure was quickly followed by two other copies.

The imp concluded this arcane magic, which ancient beings could recognize as the long time forgotten Elegy of Emptiness, generating strings of darkness which got attached to the statues, making them move like puppets as dark energy flew through them.

The Skyloftian, understanding what kind of trap he had fallen on, ignored his survival instincts and cried at his Loftwing in fear: "Run Dodo, run"

Before the child of Hylia's could escape, the puppets had surrounded him and one with a sneak attack pinned him to the ground. The Loftwing, afraid, was about to panic and escape once more, but his flight was immediately interrupted by four Garos, hooded figures hopping out of the sands and quickly wrapping ropes around his legs, quickly subjugating him and holding him by several vital zones with their blades, their blank glowing eyes piercing through the bird's stare with their dark intents.

The imp smirked at this, flashing his sharp teeth again. The puppets were doing a good job in holding the Skyloftian back, beating him as he was down, and soon they were likely to finish the job with him soon. For the Loftwing, he had other projects: it was rare to find the birds so closely tied to the Goddess in a world like Termina. Finding one was a bless, as the imp's own steed, his Helmaroc Queen, had always a soft spot for snacking on them… of course, not without playing with them first. Seeing his job to deal with the possible intruder was done, he turned his back at Ankoku, showing he had tied to his back a crescent moon shaped slab of a weird sleek metal and used a magic to quickly fade into darkness, soon followed by the hooded warriors who, making a small vortex, sank into the ground of the Valley taking Dodo with them.

Ankoku in shock tried to call back his Loftwing in fear, but as soon he opened his mouth, one of the puppets stomped his face further on the ground, the other two pinning their wrist with their feet, their deformed grins somehow widening.

They were not just ganging up on him. No, they were outright torturing him for their master's glee, to the point of ignoring any possible outside inference. And yet, no matter how uneven was the fight, Ankoku seemed to refuse to quit struggling. No matter how many kicks, scratches, he was not going to let them have it their way quickly. And such determination paid off, as all of sudden, the three puppet froze solid, held for a split second by magical forced which contrasted the imp, enough for Ankoku to slip out of their grasp and try to fight back. One jumped on him but the Skyloftian, using the teaching he was given by the class Academy, quickly flipped him over, damaging it as it crashed on the rocky ground. The young man smirked at discovering his opponents' lack of resilience, yet did not expect all of sudden an almost inhuman grunt and a figure to jump to destroy the puppets barehanded in an apparent brute rage. Even Aria was surprised, intrigued by the presence she quickly recognized.

It was incredibly quick and swift, but the first thing the grey-skinned giant did was to crush with his large armored boot one of the animated statues and then catch the other by the shoulder and rip it apart with his hands.

As he turned at Sky Child, facing him with his visage covered by the typical Ikanian helmet, he was met by a scared whimper of: "Please, we can negotiate"

The hulking grey skinned individual, adjusting his clothing and drapes of armors he could wear despite his immense size, looked down at him, nodded and spoke in a perfectly gentle and civil tone, which was a clear sign of being a more than honored captain for the Ikana Army: "Sure enough, little one"

This only confused more the Skyloftian which said: "Uh… that's it?"

The towering humanoid shrugged and nodded, answering: "Of course. I have no reason to fight against an innocent victim of the Garo Regime"

At this, the shorter boy tilted his head as he repeated the two last words puzzlingly: "Garo… Regime?"

"'Course" – the Ikanian Captain stated lifting the least broken puppet, his voice breaking into disgust – "I can recognize the stench of those cowards from everywhere. I, Captain Keeta of the Ikanian Army, have sworn loyalty to my King to take down them all"

Ankoku smiled at seeing the giant was on his side and bowed down politely greeting him: "My humblest greetings, noble Captain Keeta, my name is Ankoku Yami, son of Kage Yami and Shini Goroshi from Skyloft…"

As the officer looked at him confused by the excessive etiquette, Ankoku got up and pointed out: "… a land afar from this one. I am honored to cross path with you. Alas, we are fellow of misadventure, for, as you saw, have fallen victim under the atrocities of the Garo Regime, who have just kidnapped a dear friend of mine"

Captain Keeta nodded empathically at the Sky Child's misfortune, patting his shoulder with an hand nearly as big has the Hylian's chest, and looked at the giant tower far in the Ikana Valley: "I hate to break bad news, but I fear it's too late for your friend"

At this the dark haired youth yelped in fear and quipped back, rubbing his neck in embarrassment and getting a bit nervous about the news and his interlocutor's attitude: "Please, sir, do not say such. I am quite sure there must be a way out for him"

"Listen boy" – the Ikanan cut the idealistic boy off – "if he were really kidnapped by Garos, then he was brought there, to the Great Stone Tower"

From the way Keeta spoke of that place, it seemed as if he thought of that building as an impenetrable stronghold. And to Ikanians, it was true. No matter how many assaults Igos du Ikana had directed, he had always failed to break in the fortress. Only Garos came back alive from that place… and very little came back at all.

Ankoku looked at the place and naively said: "I suppose then…. That I should go there to get my steed back?"

Keeta sighed at such statement, thinking to himself the child was simply too clueless to know what kind of foolishness he had spoken about, but decided to further discuss with him just in case. He had been lucky to have found a Garo target alive and looked at the now unmoving statues, not leaking anymore dark magic.

"Have you met the creator of those puppets?", the officer asked the Skyloftian curiously playing a bit with the puppet before throwing it away and making it crash to pieces. Of course, he knew already of the imp, but he wished to have more information from an outsider, hoping he had somehow slipped something about the Garos' plan.

"Of course I spotted the imp who refers as himself as messenger of the Garos. He tried to lull me in a fake sense of security and then he sent out a mass attack. It was weird. He seemed to have both a sword and a moon-shaped shield on his back, yet he did not bother to use them himself…", the Wind Child explained, only to be silenced by the Captain's booming voice.

"HE HAD WHAT?", the giant roared in rage stepping his foot so hard the ground around it cracked , realizing what the messenger had been up to all those days he had spend lurking around Ikana royal palace. In case Igos or other Ikanans knew what had happened, it would spread panic all over the Valley

Stunned by the sudden reaction of the previously gently individual, Ankoku repeated the sentence: "A sword and a …"

"… Moon… shaped Shield" – the Ikanan growled clenching his fist at realizing it was the heirloom of Ikanan royal family, the Moon Steel, his aura so enraged he made his interlocutor back a bit in surprise –"Blasted trickster. That Fang Boy went too far in his mockery!"

Ankoku blinked at this, a bit afraid of crossing the stare of the furious officer. Yet, if the giant were right, the Sky Child had rush immediately to save his Loftwing. He could not allow his first and only companion since he was seven to disappear into nothingness.

The young man clenched his fist, attempting to formulate a plan. He would have rushed at the moment to the Great Stone Tower, but there was something which refrained him: he had no weapon. What if he met other of those puppets, those hodded figures… or worse? Rubbing his neck and temples, gaining a curious look from Keeta, Ankoku formed a small plan in his mind, emphasized by a big grin.

"Forgive me for such boldness, Lord Captain Keeta of the Ikanan Army" – Ankoku said in a gentle bow – "I do understand that, for some reason, that shield does hold some kind of value to you. We both have a score to settle with the Garos. We might join forces to infiltrate through their stronghold"

Keeta snarled a bit at what he saw as a vain attempt of flattery and manipulation, although he realized that the young man had a point in his naïve babble, so he spoke the truth.

"Alas, young man" – the giant finally spoke with a serious and more distant voice – "my duty as a captain holds me back to take any kind of initiative about the Garo Regime unless I am ordered otherwise by my King, Igos du Ikana the First"

Although, as he realized placing his his on his squared chin in a thinking position, the boy could come in handy somehow. Maybe he was really that eager to help, and he really wanted to make the Garos pay for their ploy with that imp.

"… However, as you are not an Ikanan, I suppose you are outside my King's jurisdiction. I could give you a few things, if you want to reach that place so badly", the Captain finished resuming his gentler tone, making Ankoku cheer at knowing there was still hope of survival for Dodo

"It's dangerous to go alone" – Keeta continued taking something on his belt and handing it to the younger Hylian – "take this"

Ankoku made a broad smile as he got the Grappling Hook constituted by fine steel and a long rope. He quickly rolled the rope around his shoulder and bowed in a sign of gratitude. Of course, Keeta, not fully trusting the boy yet, was not going to give him any other tools: acting fool or not, Ankoku might have still been another Garo spy or even a pawn to their plans, he could not exclude such.

"I am deeply grateful for such. I will do my best to …", the young man beamed in happiness, only to realize that he still had to …

"… break through the defenses of the Great Stone Tower" - he concluded in shock, only to turn at the Captain and assure him he had everything under control bowing his head – "I will formulate quickly a plan, worry not"

The larger Ikanan, realizing the bluff, rolled his eyes and decided to take his leave by answering him: "I wish you good luck in attempting to reach your friend, Ankoku Yami. You will need it lots of it. Sorry for leaving you here, but I have to go back to the King"

The young boy lifted his head with a grin, he had formulated a plan, remembering he had been given a further task aside from exploring the Valley. It was hazardous, but there were lives on the lines, so he could not hesitate

"Forgive me for further pestering you, Captain Keeta, might I ask a last question?" - Ankoku brightly asked with a smile, continuing as soon as the officer nodded to dismiss him as soon as possible – "do you know where is the condo of the Map Maker Tingle?"

* * *

_Tingle's House, Outskirts Ikana Valley, Termina Field 10:30pm, First Day_

Thanks to the information of the kind officer who had parted ways with him, possibly to report to his sovereign, Ankoku had swiftly reached Tingle's house, remembering that the Map Maker had told him of his wife. Maybe, telling her what was going on, she could have given him some other objects. He knew that was impolite calling at this time, but his friend's survival had priority over etiquette.

When the door opened before, much to his surprise and widened eeys, what he found was a stunning looking tall short haired blonde, her hot pink dressing being only an hat reminiscent to her husband and a measly bikini. Ankoku blinked in surprise: how could that man… marry such a stunning woman? Swallowing his saliva, he stared speaking at the beauty.

"Is that you Mrs. … Pinkle?", the Skyloftian , hiding with both hands his blush, shyly asked at the woman who kindly nodded at him, answering at him in an incredibly sultry voice

"Yes?", she quipped, a bit surpirsed of being called in such time of the night.

"Well, Mrs. Pinkle, I have come here on your husband's behalf" – Ankoku answered showing her Tingle's pen and map – "He asked me to paint a map for him… of the area further the Ikana Valley"

As he pointed at the Stone Tower, the woman blinked in disbelief at knowing her beloved had asked someone else to make maps, so tapping her foot suspicious, asked the innocent buy: "Sure enough, but first… may I ask you two questions?"

Seeing Ankoku nodded, Pinkle made a luring smile, and speaking in her attractive voice, asked him: "First of all, how much has my beloved Tingle paid you and… has he said anything else to you?"

Ankoku, not seeing the mistrust in the woman's eyes, cheerfully answered, knowing the answers to both: "Tingle paid me nothing and he told me something to wish me good luck… what was it… oh yes"

Making a spin around a foot, he yelled out Tingle's magical words and made a dance to resemble the Map Maker's style: _"Tingle, Tingle! Kooloo-Limpah! ...These are the magic words that Tingle created himself. Don't steal them!_"

Sweat dropping at the excessive accuracy of the Skyloftian, and worried a bit about her quirks, Pinkle now fully believed the weirdly childish boy, although she didn't buy something yet.

"Excuse me then, where did you last see my beloved?", she asked him concerned. When Ankoku pointed at the west, she narrowed her eyes.

"Western Termina… the Great Bay … Now way he is going to look at those Pirates again" - she poisonously hissed cracking her knuckles, then turned at Ankoku and with a smile, now that he had fully gained his trust, continuing – "Thanks for having told me such, young man, you can use my hubby's balloon bag if you want to make this map. Good luck"

The youth smiled cheerfully as he got the Balloon Bag, knowing he had to treasure it to be sure to get as high as that towering stronghold, while Pinkle answered, still cracking her knuckles: "Now, if you don't mind… I am out to give my love a small talk about talking to Pirates… Barkle, let's go"

At her clapping, an immensely cute puppy, weirdly enough dressed up exactly like its owner Tingle, came out yipping joyfully at its master's wife, jumping at her to be taken in her arms and snuggle her. Ankoku was so surprised at its cuteness he dropped the bag and was about to reached out with his attempt in an attempt to pet it, and he could go as far to swear that his shadow had actually made contact with Barkle's.

However, the puppy's loyalty quickly reminded him of Dodo and his duty to rescue him, and quickly regained control of himself, picked the bag back and wore it on his shoulder.

"Good luck Mrs. Pinkle with finding your husband" – he told her with a bow – "Might the Goddess wish you the best"

The woman nodded and went away after closing the door with a key and waved an hand at the young man before disappearing in a rush. Amused by the quirks of what was the Map Maker's family, Ankoku rushed towards the tower which was his objective, read to get Dodo back with all means necessary, hoping that, once he trained enough with the grappling hook, everything would go smooth. How many more trials had to face before getting back at home?

'_There I go… Garo Regime, prepare to face the determination of a child of Hylia's'_

* * *

_Surrounding of the Great Stone Tower, Termina Field 11:30pm, First Day_

No matter how many times Ankoku had chances to look at the Great Stone Tower, no matter how much he had heard of its fame, yet getting closer and closer, the building really was immense, to the point he doubted that even the Giants could outsize it. The more he looked at the place, , the greater was the fear he could feel running his down his spine, almost freezing him. As if the immensity of that stronghold wasn't enough, even more unsettling was the way sometimes lights seemed to appear and disappear into the darkness of the surrounding place. Sometimes it was the glow of the eyes of a Garo, which still seemed quite dangerous in itself… but weirder was the occasional seeming flicker of lanterns, sometimes even looking to stay in mid hair. What could it be? The dread of the unknown was popping out in Ankoku's mind and the time of that seemingly cursed sky in the dark of the night meant that now there was not even a faint light from the star to guide him. He felt for a second alone and almost felt like a pat from... his shadow? No, he had no time to speculate over his panic-induced delirium.

Could an army manage to siege that place. Could a God triumph over its forces? The Sky Child could barely see his childhood hero winning, and even then not without a struggle. Swallowing some saliva and coming to his senses once more, he enacted his plan, and strapping the bag and activating the balloon, he elevated himself as much as possible to reach that place, hoping that, with the favor of the dark, the ninja would have not noticed him. Bolding nearing on the place using his hands to somehow 'swim' through air, he was relatively quickly found out and all he could see was a black dagger with a unique look and a weird circle at the end of the hilt which nearly hit the balloon, making the young man panicking and sped up. Luckily, as the second blade came up and successfully popped the ballon, Ankoku managed to latch on the edges of one of the protuberances jutting out of the walls of the Great Stone Tower.

Struggling to keep his cool, he waited for the Garo who had likely tried to kill him to stop his attacks, a thing which happened a few seconds later.

'_Luckily, he must have thought I have died at the fall. Might not last for long'_, he thought as he took out his grappling hook and swinging it towards one of the upper ledges of the fortress. He got a stroke of luck as he realized he had grabbed something and pulled.

Much to his surprise, he discovered that he had accidentally roped and pulled down a Garo sentinel, likely the very one who had thrown him the daggers, he could not say for sure. Seeing his foe who had silently fallen in unconsciousness, in a spur of the weird moment, Ankoku glanced around to avoid being seen out of embarrassment as it could be seen by his cheeks reddening, forgetting he was risking his life to save his Loftwing for a fraction of a second

'_Fie' _– Ankoku swore in his mind, not noticing that a lantern had temporarily flashed at his side – '_how many are the odds to botch such a throw and grab a Garo by the ankle? Well, useless to drabble over such. Let's get back on the track_'

Seeing what seemed to be an unlit bomb out of the ninja's clothing, Ankoku took it hoping it could come in handy later, and threw again the grappling hook, succeeding to latch and climb up the walls of the fortress on his first try.

Unknowingly to him, while he was reaching the upper area of the place, Aria in her shadow form ripped some pieces of clothing off the stunned sentinel, hoping she could create a mask or something similar Ankoku could use to better hide among those ninjas. With those bright colored clothing, after all, he easily stood out among the black hoods typical of the Garo garbs. She was not afraid yet, as she knew what that place was capable of, yet the child of Hylia's was clearly inexperienced and needed every possible kind of help.

So it was no coincidence that Ankoku found a Garo hood as he reached up the upper floor. Seizing the opportunity, he nodded it hoping he would have had not drawn any kind of suspicions among those deathly foes.

'_Might I thank the Goddesses for such gift_' he thought sitting down in the shadows, trying to gather up some energies he had worn out during the inevitable and unexpected length of his journey to the Surface and this new godless land called Termina. As he saw once more that flash of lantern, fear gave him a rush of adrenaline as he hid better, seeing soon the light disappear in the nothing, still with no idea though of what could possibly be. Alas, he had no time to ponder such: his focus was a more urgent matter.

Drawing a tensed sigh and rubbing the neck still without his loved scarf, he decided to venture further in the place, still looking for any clues about Dodo's whereabouts. He had hoped he would have heard some random squawking while climbing up the place, but no avail in such.

He knew he had to rush quickly, but was stopped as again those flickers of light appeared before him, finally giving an outline of a pair of ghastly figures which were holding them. But worse was coming. He could hear it.

The music… was filling the hall he was walking through. The elegy which the mysterious imp, whose only name Ankoku knew was 'Fang Boy', had played that first time they had met and that now, if Ankoku was not quick enough to fight back, would have been, along the sinister cackles echoing from afar, the music of his funeral.

* * *

**SMALL TRIVIA: At first Ankoku was supposed to meet Igos du Ikana and Captain Keeta looking for the Moon Steel instead of 'Fang Boy', which would have been the first figure Ankoku would meet in the Stone Tower. But as I saw a bit weird that Dodo could walk across the Ikana Royal Palace, I decided to change the events the way you see.**

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:**

**The hystory of Zelda, Skyloft, Hyrule and Termina, alongside its characters and setting, just like its spin-offs are (c) Nintendo**

**Aria is (c) LuvIsAThing**

**The Moon Steel is (c) Kitoma Foxx**

**Ankoku Yami and the story are all (c) Xantospoc**

**Thanks you all for having read this fic, read and review please. See ya for the next chapter :)**


	6. Dead Lights

**VOLUME II: The Revenge Of The Forsaken**

**)) Chapter 6: Dead Lights ((**

* * *

_Great Stone Tower, Termina, 0:45am, Second Day_

It was too quick, too sudden. Ankoku had barely managed to regain any energy after climbing the Stone Tower up to the top, and he had already been discovered?

How? Might have been that Garo who had shot his balloon down? Or another he had not glimpsed? Maybe even the one he had accidentally knocked out. He had hoped that he could have at least gotten an initial look at his surroundings, maybe in hopes he could formulate a plan… and instead that glimmer of hope had been silenced by a few familiar notes.

A – B – A – F – A – D - B

That one… that was the madness-inducing elegy which summoned Fang Boy's misshapen and blood-thirsty army of wooden and stone puppets with dark energy rushing through their body. Already back in the twilight it was disturbing. And now, even more unsettlingly, in the dark their eyes seemed to gleam of the same light of the flares which had flickered now and then while Ankoku was climbing the way out of the Great Stone Tower, its core as cold as the night, the cruel and hard rock which made up the place, and the shadows of the formations which hinted at more grotesque form for whoever possessed a glimmer of creativity or fear .

A laughter echoes as a puppet appeared before the child trying to overwhelm him, its light steps clacking against the floor as if an unnatural music to accompany what they predicted to be a massacre. This time, though, Ankoku had already gotten a fighting stance, a weapon and, even better, those enemies, being mindless constructs of wood and magic, they were not really alive, which meant he could use lethal force to break them.

Seeing the first marionette oncoming with its thin arms extended and aiming at his neck, Ankoku hit it with the Grapple Hook taking it by the joint of where the neck should have been. Exploiting the momentum, the Sky child swung his foe twice: the first time he sent it against a large columns, destroying most of its joints and then throwing it into a second puppet, breaking it as well. A third one tried to exploit the fact Ankoku had to take back his weapon to attack and successfully scratched his cheek, all of this to receive in answer a kick which made it back off for enough time to give the Skyloftian an opening and run off away from the monster.

Inwardly thanking Her Grace for the puppets' frailty and mindlessness, the youth further rushed inside the building, through a stone hall with decorations he did not manage to fully glimpse, for he was focused only to find Dodo, to the point he had failed to notice the Poes rising out of the destroyed monsters and leaving with a chilling laughter, knowing of the boy's foolishness: by going further inside the stronghold, the less would have been his chances to return alive.

Ankoku turned back at the source of that eerie sound and all of sudden fell face fist onto the floor_ when his eyes shifted to look why he had tripped all of sudden, he yelped in surprise as he saw a grinning Fang boy hopping around, his flaming blur aura flicking in contrast with the darkness looming over the Great Stone Tower, the Moon Steel tied to his back forming reflecting the light in a crescent moon shape.

"Sky Children don't know any better, do they?" - the imp mocked as the boy stood up while rubbing his neck in nervousness, remembering already the sorcery he had been greeted with – "All there, along, with just an excuse of a disguise? No wonder Hylia made your kind escape from the Demon King"

"Quit all this squabbling around, you fiendish trickster" – Ankoku said, despite his voice kept cracking in anxiety – "lead me to where my Loftwing has been sealed… please"

On a second thought, muttering that last word was somewhat unnecessary, but the Skyloftian's instinctive etiquette had taken over by then, due to the massive tiredness he had accumulated. In the meanwhile, Fang Boy raised both hands and started levitating in the hair, the faint dark blue flames surrounded him and gave him an almost ghastly appearance as let out a sardonic chuckle, almost feminine in its high pitch.

"Loftwing? I have no idea what you are talking about. What I see is nothing more but a frightened child who is going to become food for Garo", he mocked relentlessly at this, a thing which made Ankoku somewhat regain a small sparkle of energy, as if he wanted to avoid the demon to get the last word.

"I have no idea why you are so delighted in belittling other, cursed Fang Boy… or whatever your real name is, but remember this: I shall free Dodo, might that be the last thing I will do", the Sky Child said holding his hand against a wall and clenching the other fist, trying to intimidate the imp. It was apparently a success, as he seemed to have frozen weirdly enough, the eye lightly twitching. Finally, after a brief pause, the demon answered.

"As you wish…", were the words Fang Boy let out in a soft and almost friendly tone as he moved closer to Ankoku, really seeming to wish to support him. The Skyloftian was about to draw a sigh of relief, in disbelief that finally happenings were going in his favor… only to return frightened as the imp did nothing more but play again the Elegy of Emptiness in front of his him… he turned away and started running as fast as he could, everything to avoid those cursed puppets after him. But no matter the speed, he could not escape the last words of the imp

"… it will be", the voice, which was getting deeper and weird echoing effects, concluded as he teleported away, all accompanied by the mad laughers of the puppets and the Poes; along with banging of the stone floor made by Ankoku's fast running as he tried to escape.

He was running deep down the place of the Great Stone Tower. Now he understood what kind of nightmare it was: the air smelt of humidity and blood, the stone felt cold and rough against touch, and only glimpses of ancient sinister carvings could be seen through the light of the midnight sky. And all this was happening in an aria of creepy cackles flooding through every hall of the fortress, as if to imply that there was no escape to him.

And yet, scorning all the dangers which were creping all through the place to get a hold of him, he simply rushed away, going so far to bit his lips and mutter a prayer.

"Please, older ones" – he was muttering caressing his neck as if trying to replicate the sensation of his scarf – "aid me, give me a sign"

To his amazed, they seemed to answer, for, as he narrowed his eyes, managed to glimpse a carving of the familiar image of the Triforce on a wall. In a hope-induced haze, he stealthily moved at what seemed to be holy symbol of his land, childishly hoping it might have somehow brought him safety, or at least, some kind of luck.

However, such delusions were immediately shot down as the Skyloftian looked at the whole engraving. The fact that Triforce seemed to be laying upon a weird 'carpet' was weird…. Then he realized it was being licked by a demonic creature… which was holding it on its crotch. At the image, Ankoku nearly felt gag.

'_I had already supposed in my mind this place seemed gigantic to the point I could not help but wonder if its building was a challenge to the Heavens… yet I could not expect… such blasphemy. It's not just a temple. It's a crude and vulgar insult to my Deities'_ – he thought disgusted looking away from the place – '_my wonder is just whoever could be this Goddess Mocker_'

A spindly wooden arm crept up breaking his flow of consciousness and grabbed it in a moment of panic to repeatedly slam it against the wall depicting the act of blasphemy until the puppet was nothing but a pile of broken woods… and yet, from the still intact engraving an hand rose and spouted, revealing a Poe hiding inside it and swing his sinister lantern at the youth, as if it wished to burn his soul.

Ankoku was running away in fear, trying to hide by pulling down the hood of the pathetic Garo disguise the fright on his face, chills sent further down his back as Fang Boy's voice echoed through the halls, coming from every direction and accompanied by the sick rhythms of the marionette's crackling noises.

"For your information, Sky Child who does not know any better" – the imp's voice quipped sardonically - "I told our Garo Master of your presence. Guess what? Wasn't he busy elaborating strategies, he would come after you immediately. Therefore, he politely asked me to… be an escort to you through this Black Tower. So don't worry, little child, I will play with you for the time being. Just watch your back, because…"

Before the voice could continue, Ankoku understandably looked back, only to hear the trickster's laughter. This caused him to run faster, understanding his game.

"Let me guess, you turned at this trick?" the imp mocked as the aria of the Elegy of Emptiness filled again the halls of the Stone Tower. Ankoku, instead, could not simply quick back, horrified at his attitude. Why such smug malice was befalling on him? Whatever reasons that demon had simply started bullying him around for, they seemed meaningless and sadistic. Why didn't he just kill him?

And across the hopes not to meet any of those puppets, ghosts and ninjas, he kept running through the place, the midnight sky through the window and opening of the ceiling the only element soothing the fears which, despite the chilling air of midnight, made his hand sweat uncontrollably. He quickly jumped in the shade generated by the walls, which was seeming waiting for him: the second he nestled inside him, he could nearly feel his heartbeat stabilizing itself and his focus returning on Dodo, and quickly destroyed one more puppet with a sneak attack and, the second the Poe emerged, drove him away with a well placed blow of his Grapple hook, only to notice the now lifeless husk seemed to have something in its hand: a feather and a small paper.

Ankoku, thinking it might have been Dodo's, picked the feather up, only to notice, first to his dismay, then to his terror, that it was at least five times larger than Dodo and of a red tint. And even the notes hinted at its nature of omen.

_More to Come_

"There is going nothing" – Ankoku said aloud scrambling the paper determined as a challenge to whatever was observing him – "Remember what I told you at the entrance. I might be a Sky Child, but I am one holding my promises"

* * *

_Core of the Great Stone Tower Temple, Termina, 2:35am, Second Day_

Without waiting for Fang Boy's answer, which was just a cackle of challenge, Ankoku kept going through the lower level of the towers, noticing how the level of security was different, likely due to the fact the puppets had been summoned at its top. On the other side, the Garo seemed to be a potentially greater threat, all of this watched over through the Moon Steel by Fang Boy, who was idly in a sitting position by floating around in the air. The room he was in had been considerably decorated, with two Ikanian Skulls at the entrance, several Garo blades hanging at the wall and a massive throne, which would have resulted big even to giants like Captain Keeta, facing a deep pit at the center of the room, and in front of it a giant torch

"Was it necessary to scurry around with this child?" - a figure sitting on the throne inquired the imp, to which he received a mere shook of his head – "I do realize that he is no threat whosoever neither to you in this shape… and much less to me, yet I prefer to avoid nuisances, considering our plans"

Fang Boy turned at him, his flames playfully flickering and answered: "I need to be sure to have any possible plan of backup. Plus, his negative emotions are already empowering what we need the most"

At this, he pointed at the torch, which, much to the other figure's amusement sometimes let out cyan hued sparkles.

"Soon we will harvest the Flames of Nayru's Sorrow, won't we?", the silhouette asked with a smirk, his pointy hat floating due to the wind and his bloody red eyes narrowing into a slit.

The imp turned at the Garo master he supposedly served and laughed as he answered with a grin of confirmation. The figure stood up the throne of his five feet and a half of height and smirked, with a wave summoning four Poes before him, curiously all of them with a lightly feminine shape and their robes of different color from both each other and the other Poes.

"Cubus Sisters" – the leader of the Garo asked in a somewhat affable, almost seductive tone – "report what's happening in the surroundings. How has the King been taking the news of the theft of his heirloom?"

The leader, the green one, bowed down and answered with a cold tone asserting submission to the pitch black figure: "As predictable Your Majesty, the Ikanian King is utterly enraged by what he saw as a mere mockery"

The sister in red asserted with a courtesy: "You know, this time he might even war against you"

"The fool", the purple-clad sister laughed childishly, only to be stopped by a gesture of the fourth blue dressed sisters. The Leader of the Garo nodded and, adjusting his black tunic, smirked.

"Very well, my dears, those were the news I wished to hear" – he affably answered to the sisters, making the red dressed one giggle, and, once he exchanged look with his messenger, further mused – "playtime is over then. Send the King a message. If he wants to shred blood, I challenge him in a duel to death. One on one"

At this the Cubus sisters laughed, and the purple one even went so far to comment just how much fun their leader was. The green-clad sister looked instead somewhat inquiringly.

"Should we even add what the prizes in case of either or defeat might be", the Green Sister asked, at which this time it was Fang Boy to answer.

"No need to" – the imp quipped with his toothy grin – "Actually, if he even goes as far as to ask about this, disappear. Make him wallow in his ignorance and rage. He will be nothing more but vulnerable. King Igos is a hot-blooded warrior. He should learn keep his head on the shoulder… before it's too late"

Surprised by the imp's order, the imp simply kept playing with the Moon Steel, playfully directing the moon light it reflected first to the four Poes, who dodges the rays with fear, then playfully directed it at the leader who acted annoyed at such, shielding his eyes from it with his arm, then all of sudden stopped with a shake of his head. At this weird show, the Cubus Siblings did not react until their leader approved the motion of the imp with a nod and, lifting their lanterns, the four Poes disappeared to comply their leader's bidding.

"You know how to keep your servant loyal, don't you?" Fang Boy asked the leader, using his power to defy gravity and lean against the ceiling.

Nodding, the Garo Leader answered with a solemn nod and a light bow of his head: "I am many things. To humans I am fear. To Poe worship and adoration on par with the Goddesses"

"That is true" – the imp answered him – "but remember that you avoid conceitedness, you know there are things in this Black Tower who don't take such reference lightly"

With a further bow of his head, the black figure acknowledged his mistakes with a nod and, while turning alight with a gesture a lantern set on a side of the gigantic throne, answered: "Tue. The King is still something not to take lightly. We will prepare for such right now: with his death, the Flame of Sorrow shall be alit by the disgrace which will befall upon Ikana. But first… Let's get rid of that nuisance scurrying around"

Fang Boy sadistically cheered at this, going down to float at the level of the mysterious figure's eyes: "I'll call back the puppets then. Nothing personal, I just want to lull that boy in a sense of either fake safeness or paranoia. I am sad my Helmaroc Queen is not here yet to witness it. She enjoys seeing people squirming like the little mouse they are"

Without commenting on Fang Boy's sadistic monologue, the Garo Leader picked up a ceremony mask from a chest and answered: "I will call the priests, then. At least that boy will be a nice sacrifice for the Black Tower"

With a nod, Fang Boy nonchalantly snapped his fingers and, in a silent wave of magic, all the puppets fell lifeless across all the tower, their eyes dulling out and the tension Ankoku had been accumulating for all that time dropped in surprise as he saw, much to his confusion, the end of those creatures.

* * *

_Lower Levels of Great Stone Tower Temple, Termina, 3:00am, Second Day_

"How in the" – he muttered puzzled poking one of the lifeless husks, surprised there was no Poe coming out of it – "what on this Godless world is that cursed trickster's game now?"

The answer came up immediately as he realized the obvious: it had to be a trap. Was he going to fall for that? Common sense had been telling him to run away from that blasphemous stronghold ever since he had set a foot on it, but first of all, his Loftwing had to be freed. If Ankoku disliked that place, then his poor Loftwing, so panic-prone, had to be suffering a breakdown there. He had finally reached a dark place scarcely lit by a few torches, which from the chains hanging on the wall, seemed to be an ancient dungeon. Scared, he managed to turn his lips upward only because it meant he was in the right way. Finally, he heard the blessed squawking.

He had done it, Dodo was there, his beak trying to poke through the bars of the prison with a Garo guard pushing him back with his cage by pointing his blades. Without thinking of it twice, Ankoku forgot everything about stealth and threw the unlit bomb on the Garo, knocking him unconscious. Running to get the key, the Skyloftian smiled at his steed and as soon as he was able to open the cage, he shoved the hands through the cage to hug his steed, wrapping his hand around his plumy neck. They had been separated for less than a day, yet the Sky Child had been already missing petting what was his only friend

"Don't worry Dodo" – the youth said seeing the bird's eyes had swollen up in tears - "I am here… and…"

The moment was cut short as he heard the unsheathing of different blades.

"Did you really think you could disguise as one of us through such a ridiculous makeshift hood?" - One of them, taller and wearing purple robes – T"his to us Garo is a dishonor… a dishonor to be cleansed off immediately"

While Ankoku's shadow, still inhabited by Aria, looked somewhat… upset at the insult of the creation she was so proud of, the Skyloftian panicked for a second and with a bow he immediately… apologized.

"I did not mean to disrespect any of you, for I do not belong to any side to your conflict. Although I do have a score to settle with Fang Boy, it matters not right now. What I wish is my Loftwing back, nothing else", he said with a bow, lightly surprising the six Garo who the leader had sent to catch Ankoku.

The purple clad Garo, implied to be a high rank ninja, nodded and stated in a somewhat professional: "I realize this. You are a victim of fate… but we have been ordered for your capture. Prepare yourself"

Ankoku, dismayed that the ninja understood what he meant, but could not let him go, thought quickly and picked up the bomb he had used to knock out the guard, lit the fuse with a nearby torch and threw it. The move missed any of them, but had forced the group to disband for enough time for the Sky Child to jump up on Dodo and make him run as fast as possible, hoping to outrun the Garo capture team and get out of the Great Stone Tower once for all.

But all of sudden, four Poes, each in different color, ghastly appeared before him scaring Dodo with their sudden appearance. Before Ankoku could get back to control his frenzied steed, a light was deflected straight on his eyes and temporarily blinded him, making him finally fall off the Loftwing. Fang Boy, who had teleported there a few seconds go, could not help but grin at the masterfully delivered blow. He would have loved to plunge a blade straight in that boy's heart as well, but, alas, could not. On the other hand, for once, he had more backup than mere marionettes.

Indeed, as Dodo had gone to check his master's welfare, the duo who had been trying to escape was first surrounded by the diabolical Cubus Sisters, then by a circular wall of flames so bright that his shadow, therefore Aria's power, drastically diminished in that place. As Ankoku struggled to look upward, he was able to finally glimpse see the true responsible of this conflict, Leader of the Garo, holding a lantern akin to a Poe's in one hand and a bomb with a symbol of a skull and crossed bones on the other.

He was a figure of medium height dressing in a form fitting black tunic and underneath that, a white (or light grey) shirt and pants, with tight black boots. He had also elegant white hair and a long pointed hat flowing in the wind.

Ankoku looked in wonder at the somewhat familiar individual, to the point he could not help but mutter a weak: "Link?"

And yet, despite that composed clothing, in sharp contrast to Fang Boy's loose and dirty one, he had black skin which seemed to be made out of living shadows and dark red eyes with a small pupil, not to say he looked a bit younger than how the Hero of Legend had been described, much to Ankoku's confusion. No, that thing was not Ankoku's childhood hero, but a further mockery of that cursed Stone Tower.

"Well done, Cubus sisters. One more step for the Poe prosperity we are longing for", the warped, shadowy younger version of the Hero stated stroking the Blue-clad sister's face, making it eerily giggle. Immediately after, Fang Boy came to his side, grinning at the defeated child.

'_I knew it was a trap, yet I could not help but fall into it. And you did this all… for your amusement? Fang Boy, you are a true demon_', Ankoku sighed trying to fight back once more even though he now knew his freedom was a lost cause. Only a glimmer of hope had been left.

And yet, before Ankoku could react, or even mutter one more word to question that enigmatic figure of the Garo Leader, he and Dodo were pinned down against the deathly cold floor by the Garo who were hunting him down. Two more Garo came forth as well, this time both of them wearing red robes with purple figures of a dragon sewn over it and a on their face black wooden mask shaped like an heart surrounded with spikes, and hummed a sinister chant from an ancient language known only among demons.

"Please commander" – The Leader ordered to the Garo in purple who was holding Ankoku's arm behind his back – "speak forth the sentence of this intruder for having broken in our stronghold and Temple"

"Yes master", the high ranking ninja answered with his deep voice bowing his head before the dark Link-lookalike, then turned to Ankoku.

This was the sentence: "You are condemned to die… without leaving a corpse. This is the way of us Garo"

* * *

** DISCLAIMER: **

**The history of Zelda, Skyloft, Hyrule and Termina, alongside its characters and setting, just like its spin-offs are (c) Nintendo**

**Aria is (c) LuvIsAThing**

**The Moon Steel is (c) Kitoma Foxx**

**Ankoku Yami and the story are all (c) Xantospoc**

**Thanks you all for having read this fic, read and review please. See ya for the next chapter :)**


	7. It Slowly Crawls

**VOLUME II: The Revenge Of The Forsaken**

**)) Chapter 7: It Slowly Crawls ((**

* * *

_Core of the Great Stone Tower Temple, Termina, 4:10 am, Second Day_

A sensation of burning pain, defeat, and so much anxiety that his very breath had considerably heaved. Those were all the new sensation Ankoku was feeling as he was dragged by the Garo army, alongside his Loftwing Dodo, towards the throne room, both with bindings around their necks and forcefully pulled every time they attempted to fight off their condition, unfortunately, to no avail.

"Don't take it so badly, Sky Child, you did not know any better" – Fang Boy mocked sadistically the Skyloftian while manipulating his body with strings made out of darkness as if he were a marionette – "I had told you before, do you remember? I would have escorted you through all the depths of the Black Tower… now it's time for you to see the throne chamber"

At hearing this, Ankoku kept struggling against the grip, but to no avail. Even if he had succeeded, he had to survive against a team of six Garo, one of whom, dubbed 'the Commander' much stronger looking than the others, and the several other Poes observing all of them Before him, Dodo, who was dragged by several Garo soldiers, tried to turn and squawk at the imp, but the Garo ninjas immediately made him turn back with a strong pull. The young owner could not help but sigh but this, feeling impotent before what was happening, and closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. Fang Boy wasted no time in breaking his morale further by slamming the young man's face against the floor. The Commander kept looking at the fragile figure tortured by his master's messenger to reprimand the latter, for he, as an honorable warrior, not approving such wanton cruelty towards a prisoner who was already condemned to death.

The two masked Garo priests looked at the scene and snickered at the same time, only to be silenced by the Leader with a gesture of his hand and a glare from his glowy eyes as they arrived.

The mysterious Link lookalike stated sitting down on the throne, leaning his arm with so much weight to the point that side seemed to crack and stared down at the future sacrificial lamb which had been, in the meanwhile, released by Fang Boy's grasp.

Ankoku, even if broken, decided to show off some dignity and politeness, and, as he crossed the eyes once re with the shadowy creature, he bowed down as a sign of greeting, still in his polite protocol, yet somewhat strained. Who was that figure cohort with Fang Boy that could resemble such a twisted form of his hero? The fact the Garo Priests were shaking their mask to create a weird sound which made everyone, even the fiendish imp, somewhat uneasy.

The pitch black Leader cracked a small smirk at the prisoner's struggle and made a gesture again at the several Garo, who bowed all at ones as several fires flicked into the room and the Poes appeared, at the center the four Cubus sisters which lit through their lanterns the whole room . The dark figure stared at the green sister and she answered him with a nod. As the Priests started dancing, the Leader spoke

"Fellow Garo, my instruments of death, and my glorious Poes" – he said – "Our war… no, pest control, against Ikana, is coming to an end, as we deal the finishing blow. Our impenetrable stronghold broke their spirits, our attack broke their soldiers, the thievery of their royal family broke their honor… and now… I will break the King."

The ninja let out a single triumphant yell of victory, while the ghosts just let out dozens of laughs. Ankoku's eyes widened in horror and tried to speak back, but the second he seemed to be moving, a Garo placed his scimitar next to his neck. A silent, yet effective, threat, which stopped the young man from speaking and forced him to continue to hear the speech, now accompanied by an ominous sentence chanted over and over by the Priests.

"_Sair Met, ayr, or treis met-nohm"_

While Ankoku wished to focus upon that unique language, his line of thought was interrupted by the voice of the dark copy of the Hero.

"Yes, indeed, victory is so close" – he continued – "and it's just rightful for all of us to pay … a tribute to the deity of the Black Tower with a sacrifice"

Ankoku had figured out already and was frozen in fear attempting to muster an immediate defense against his enemyLet enough time for the ghosts to celebrate he pointed at the Loftwing and the Child of Hylia's: "Into the well… they will be enough"

Finally, the Skyfloftian, horrified at the prospect of his immediate fate, rushed, not noticing how the Garo's scimitar was held by invisible forces coming from his shadow and tried to speak up.

Alas, he managed only to mutter a: "B-b-but…"

The second he was about to come up with a more coherent sentence, the red Cubus Sister rushed and slammed him to the ground with a swing to her lantern, hissing in rage: "How you dare t try and speak back to Lord Jalhalla?"

At hearing that name, even Aria froze in surprise. That name… was that figure the fabled Masked sovereign of the Poes. In the Stone Tower? No wonder she was wary of Ikana. And now… that poor boy had ended up entangled in all of that, and she could not even help him with the bright light coming from the lantern. Ankoku too was surprised, although he did not recognize that name, but now that his face was ground-level, he could notice a thing… the Garo Leader was emitting no shadow… What could it mean?

"By Doloris, no need to be enraged Joelle" – Fang Boy answered on Jalhalla's behalf to the Poe – "Also… it's not like he can counteract against any of our actions"

As the imp concluded, another few strings appeared and got wrapped to Ankoku's neck and wrists. The young man saw Jalhalla making a thumb down. He did not even have the time to scream as he was thrown in the well, Dodo quickly being pushed down after him.

As they fell, a bright light appeared and then purple flashes which for a second made the shape of a figure whose appearance was so unsettling… or even eldritch, some would have stated, that even some Poes and Fang Boy looked eerily at the scene, the light dimming out quickly and only darkness invading the room, even the Poes' lanterns snuffed out.

The Priests, continuing their macabre dance, concluded the prayer with a final chanting before bowing before Jalhalla: "_Sair Met, ayr, or treis met-nohm. Ayr Van-aiz! AH_"

"Well done, priests, you are allowed to take off your ceremony masks" the Garo Leader ordered, at which they promptly obliged, revealing Garo faces strained by the efforts and the dark magic they had been using.

Immediately the floating messenger laughed at their condition and said: "Come on, don't act as if you have gone through any major strain. This is why we are using fake masks, mere decoy of the original"

The last part was said somewhat seriously as his gaze lingered on one of the heart shaped relics.

After a few tense-strained and endless seconds, Jalhalla stood up from his throne, walking up towards Fang Boy and looking at him.

"Time to take the plan one step closer?", the shadowy figure asked his interlocutor, all the Poes and Garo disappearing at his gestures, only the Cubus sisters left at his side, staring in hatred at the Moon Steel on Fang Boy's back. The imp nodded, looking where the Flame of Sorrow would have been lit and looked at his hands, then moved his body unnaturally, the fiery aura flaming up unnaturally, his face sporting a grin so wide which threatened to split his face in half.

The Poe King observed amused at the scene, not surprised at such. He had been told that Fang Boy would have gotten such problems due to his unique body… and knew how to deal with this.

"Then… I should also get out the trash before I head out to battle"

* * *

_4:40 am, Second Day_

Ankoku had quickly managed, against all the hopes he was holding, which of course still were not taking Aria into account, to land safely on the new are he was on, a vast land filled with bright, almost golden colored sand… alas, before he had time to register what was happening, Dodo fell … right onto Ankoku. The young boy could not help but groan, then getting out of his unfortunate position, checked on his Loftwing and himself.

"We are luck, Dodo" – the Skyloftian said a bit scared, but trying to assure his steed – "we sustained no injuries whatsoever this time… still, what a contrived coincidence to fall twice the same day, first in the Surface and now…"

At this, the young man stopped speaking and stood up surprised, making his steed look around puzzled as well. Indeed… where were they? And why was there such a bright light, while it was night? And how could that area be lit, despite he could not even spot any light source whatsoever.

"We are… ", Ankoku hesitantly repeated once more, and looked at the place. There was a stone platform of considerable size surrounded by four relatively far pillars. Massaging his temples and neck, Ankoku tried to formulate a plan to deal with such circumstances and pondered further until he came up with an idea?

"Dodo, please, remain and stand on the platform, I shall take a look around this area. Call me if you need me, Worry not, we are going to find a way out of this place", the Skyloftian said trying to hold up all the strains that unfortunate day was taking on him and started heading across the vast sandy area, in an attempt to find in what kind of place they had ended up.

As he walked through a world with nothing where beyond laid an infinite horizon with no answer, the guardian of Termina, still hidden in the Skyloftian's shadow, was pondering what to do next. Being a deity, albeit a lesser one, she had an heightened sixth sense when it came to detect auras and their nature… and she did not like that place at all: there was a presence which had been looming over it, although it had not acted on it. Had it noticed their presence… or was simply going to strike when the time was needed? She could not say… and even worse, she was not even sure if she could make them get … after all… her power came from shadows, and Ankoku and Dodo did not provide enough sources for her to do much.

All of sudden, both flows of thought were however interrupted by the fall of another figure. As Dodo immediately squawked and hissed loudly, making his owner , surprised at his steed's sudden anger rush. When he saw the figure that had fallen several feelings went through the trio's mind: it was a stunned and unconscious Fang Boy, lying on his back.

"How on …. Whatever we are, what is doing such blasted imp", Ankoku pondered aloud trying to look at the back of the imp while ignoring the earth shaking suddenly, only to be almost blinded by the light coming by the Moon Steel again.

"Oh drat… falling for this again" Ankoku said using his hat as a cover, then he quickly raised his hands in triumph and smiled as he got the Moon Steel, the heirloom of the Ikanan Royal Family, not noticing the earth shaking again, and it took his Loftwing pull his clothing to make him snap back to reality.

Before he could ask what was going on, from the sand a large pair of mandibles violently erupted followed by a multi eyed bug like faces with open maws and then a long serpentine purple colored armored body of incredible length. That creature staring before them was at least 70 feet long, it not more, and seemed quite ravenous. Instinctively, Ankoku squealed in fear as he lifted up and carried the unconscious imp by instinct and faced the monster before him and a Dodo with a strangely hungry expression as he looked at the creature

"I admit I have never seen a giant masked insect the size of this Moldorm" – he whispered to his bird with a light whimper in fear at the size of the monster – "but I swear Dodo, we are going to get out of this… somehow"

In the meanwhile, Aria had resumed her favorite activity to observe the events unfolding before her. She knew there was going to be some big events to unfold before her eyes and she had to admit that her expectation had far been surpassed.

Her thought as she mused at how big the Moldorm's shadow should have been?

_Curiouser and curiouser!_

* * *

_Ikana Valley, Termina, 5:00am, Second Day_

Having gotten rid of the imp who used to be his messenger, Jalhalla had headed out to the planned battle, carried in flight by the Poe Sisters, undying servants of his, a smirk adorning his face, although the sudden hot blooded yelling he heard could not help but make him frown.

Below on the ground there was a tall Ikananian, with his trademark grey colored skin and firm build, at least 6 feet in height and well built, with a fierce and proud fiery mane of hair, a square jaw, all robed in an elaborate armor with several engraving of the Royal emblem of Ikana. At his side there were his bodyguard: one relatively lean and tall, the other was more robust and shorter, yet both looked almost animalistic with their elongated skull shape. Pointing his sword skyward, the king roared at the leader at the sight of his opponent, quickly recognizing him. Alas, from the distance Jalhalla was, they were nothing but unintelligible gibberish.

_Igos really went fired up for this fight., _the Garo Leader mused with a dark chuckle as his servants faded and let him made a graceful and yet bold landing.

"Igos…" - he smugly muttered at his glaring opponent, his steps making no sound against the rocky desert of the Ikana Valley – "you look rather … livid. I like it"

The shorter bodyguard was about to go and charge a slash at the irreverent shadowy creature, but their King stopped him with a single glare with his piercing glare, calming him down, then quickly resumed to stare down the shorter enemy.

"And you would be the Garo Leader… I expected someone taller", Igos answered with his sword still pointing at the shadowy thing, realizing that, despite the title, it was no Garo whatsoever, most likely he was some demon, like the imp he had sent to steal the Moon Steel. Yet, if something had a body, Igos knew, it could be killed.

And yet, the short figure did not flinch at the threat and quickly quipped back: "Igos du Ikana… I expected someone smarter"

Avoiding to fall into his trick, The Ikanan King kept his cool and, clenching his teeth, answered: "Enough with your blabbering, you fiend. I have come for a single reason: surrender my heirloom or, as your Garo tradition, die without leaving a corpse"

With a low and deep laughter, the figure spun his lantern around and lit it up with his magic before challenging the King with three simple words: "Have at you"

The King growled at this and looked at his bodyguard. He had expected such move so he had already formulated a strategy: while he took on the Leader, the bodyguards had the one purpose to hold off every Garo which might have shown up in case of a snake attack and, I that did not work, play the Bremen March and call forth Captain Keeta and his army. If he were lucky, maybe Keeta's plan about taking back the heirloom by sending that rather good spirited would have even succeeded in finding the Moon Steel, finally the Stone Tower would have falled.

At least, that's what he thought. He saw soon that the shorter shadowy creature which was the ruler of the Stone Tower seemed to be more athletic than he seemed, being able to quickly dodge and parry the blows with the rather improbable shield which could be improvised with a lantern. A swing of his sword, the Leader rolled on the side and tried to strike at his side, a blow which was parried with his shield and allowed him an opening for a kick. But again Igos' opponent seemed to have the advantage of spirit against the Ikanan royalty.

Soon, after the noble could swear to have heard in his head spectral choirs calling for him, Jalhalla's style became fiercer and went full offensive in an attempt to strike his opponent down through fire balls, bombs and swung of his lantern. He had an edge, no doubt, yet such style was risky, and sided with his arrogance and lack of experience through melee fighting, it eventually led to an opening. An opening which the King quickly exploited: he rose his blade and made a swing which went through the body of his opponent, all indented to slice the Garo Leader in half.

And yet… nothing. Igos could have sworn his blade had gone and sliced through Jalhalla, and yet the individual seemed not to be bothered by such. He was at best somewhat upset for such carelessness on his side, but quickly his confidence returned as he saw the Ikanan's shocked expression.

"Indeed… what could have happened" – Jalhalla pondeded pulling a wider grin than usual – "this is what you wonder, don't you, Igos du Ikana? Well…"

As he spoke the King aimed at a thrust to the heart, but only then realized… that his opponent's body was intangible, that his blade was completely ineffective against what it could not touch. And worse, his opponent was completely unimpressed, as if he was reveling in such.

"… you see, Igos "- the warped Link lookalike continued, his voice cracking into an inhumanly deep tone – "you don't know what you are dealing with. You never did. Sure, you and your army might have sometimes taken delight in your victories against the Garo who serves me so well… but you see: such was my victory. I am ruler of whoever does not pass through the heavens. Let me ask you… do you fear death?"

Igos acted cool and narrowed his eyes, but the drops of sweat which had run down his forehead were a sign of how much strain such news were bringing, and was inwardly praying the Giants that his opponent was bluffing.

"You should… for once you will pass away, your soul will be mine. Either as a mindless servant… or nourishment", the Garo Leader concluded as his body seemed to be slowly distorting itself, its shape becoming more blurred.

Finally Igos, looking back at his bodyguards and remembering of the people he ruled over and gave guidance to, with a courage only the greatest of the heroes could muster, spoke to his opponent and asked him: "Who … who are you? Who do you think to be to speak to me with this insolence?"

"Who am I?" – the Garo Leader asked – "I am the fabled Poe King of Hyrule, the sovereign of all that's ghastly, direct spawn of the Demon King himself. This is what you stand before."

As he spoke his shadowy youth form faded into nothingness and finally the Poe King turned in his real form: a huge and massive ghost of almost 15 feet in height, his size so large the tattered robes which are the standard Poe garb got stretched and torn revealing pieces of a grey-ish purple ethereal flesh of sorts, and instead of his face being obscured by an hood, it was covered by a misshapen and demoniacal skull-shaped mask with sharp teeth and rotund features.

"Without your Moon Steel there is no hope for you, Igos: beg for your life, Igos Du Ikana, and bow down to… now bow down before the Poe Majesty, Dark Interloper Jalhalla"

The Ikanan King looked in horror at the monster and serrated his now useless blade. His guards were frozen in fear, only he could act. He should have run away, strategized or looked for other ways to fight such a fiend standing before him. But fear clouds men's best judgment, so he let instincts took over and, even though if he knew no weapon could scratch a magical entity of the likes of Jalhalla, rushed to strike at him once more. He would have not even gotten such pleasure: before he could even reach the monster, he was surrounded by flames... which closed around him. No matter his superhuman strength and resistance but, after an inhuman scream of pain and a few seconds of resistance… the Ikanan King fell to the ground, life abandoning his body.

The two bodyguards cried for the loss of their King as they gathered around his corpse, trying somehow to revive him by putting out the flames of the ashes which used to make up the body of their ruler. Jalhalla, looming above them and watching them squirm, smirked at such, knowing that, as soon as the news would have spread to all Ikana, the Flame of Sorrow would have been his and would have celebrated such by feasting on Igos' soul, so all he was left to do was to teleport away and return to the Stone Tower and bid once more his time… or at least, such would have happened hadn't all of sudden an area of the tower visibly shook enough to be seen from afar.

Everyone was surprised of such, and even the Ikanan guards tried to strike the giant Poe down by throwing a spear at him… a move which inevitably phased through him. Angered, one of the guards blew the horn, signal for Keeta to come with the army, hoping the ruler of the Poes would have paid for their actions… not that the monster in question cared for such, as he was too surprised of the shaking of his stronghold, followed by a small series of purple flashes.

'_This was not part of their plans… what is happening?_', Jalhalla was wondering.

_Core of the Stone Tower,_

* * *

_Termina, 5:37am, Second Day_

Garos are a proud race which usually boasts that, no matter what, nothing could take them by surprise. Whether this statement was truthful, nobody could not fully state, but many would swear that all of them would have at least raised a brow at the scene which would have been witness of.

All of sudden, from the well, for the first time ever since it had been used for those ominous sacrifices to unknown and ominously forgotten figures of worship, something was coming out: a gigantic worm and, latched on the segments of its mid-body, clinging for their life, still in wonder how such as possible, a small Hylian clad in black and blue and next to him his loyal Lofting with a broken wing, both of them making a wide gasp of surprise as they got out of him.

"Dodo, just want in the world… oh my I admit such is a spectacle to behold", Ankoku could not help but wonder aloud prolonging a bit the last syllables as he was pulled on too suddenly, doing his best to keep an hold of Fang Boy's unconscious body.

And yet not even this was what the most curious thing, as, if someone was to look at the shadow caused over by the creature, they could spot the shape of a little girl which not only had no correspondence from anything on that scene, but she even seemed to have somehow succeeded to tame the immense Moldorm and was riding him towards the battle against the Masked Poe Majesty

_Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!_, she chortled in her joy.

**END OF VOLUME II**

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:**

**The history of Zelda, Skyloft, Hyrule and Termina, alongside its characters and setting, just like its spin-offs are (c) Nintendo**

**Aria is (c) LuvIsAThing**

**The Moon Steel is (c) Kitoma Foxx**

**Ankoku Yami and the story are all (c) Xantospoc**

**Thanks you all for having read this fic, read and review please. See ya for the next chapter :)**


	8. Beneath the Mask

**VOLUME III: Healing My Song**

**)) Chapter 8: Beneath The Mask ((**

* * *

_Outside of the Stone Tower, Termina, 5:37am, Second Day_

Ikana Valley had always been a theatre of a battle, but now both sides had fallen into sheer chaos, all due to their petty conflict having drawn far too important entities who had decided to pull their strings. Igos du Ikana was the first to discover how the Garo Leader was actually a monster from the Netherworld, and to pay the price for it. And soon, across all the valley, cursed since ancient times by arcane forces, such news would have spread and sorrow would have fallen over Ikana.

And yet, disarray was to spread further because... very few things could invoke as much surprise as a giant floating Moldorm crashing through a window of the impenetrable stronghold such as the Stone Tower. The only one who had not stopped incessantly babbling for a second was actually the Skyloftian youth known as Ankoku Yami, who had gone into a non sequitur babble aloud as he did his best to cling on one of the segments the armored worm's body with a hand while carrying the unconscious trickster imp known as Fang Boy. On a second thought, he was not sure about how he had ended up in such commitment in the first place, so he was simply looking at Dodo, who looked at his owned in rather funny way.

"I know, I know, Dodo" – Ankoku said in a nervous frenzy, uselessly trying to hold up his anxiety – "don't worry, everything is going fine, I swear… I swear. I have a plan which shall save the both of us"

Taking a deep sigh, the youth moved Fang Boy to his shoulder and took an hold tried to explain what he planned: "This Moldorm… is luckily for the both of us, a lesser problem. The Giants are likely to get rid of this as soon as it reaches their sight… so worry not, the only thing we have to do is to get down as soon as it reaches Ikana and deliver this imp to Ikanan justice… and we get out of Termina, okay? So we can find a healer… I…"

As the monster straightened itself parallel to the ground, Ankoku got on his knees and handed the unconscious body to his steed, who made it hang on its beak, while taking the Moon Steel from the spirit. As he was about to relax, Ankoku glimpsed with his eyes a few charging Poes yelling their king's name. With a yelp, he barely dodged out the ghosts, by rolling at the sides in utter surprise and disbelief. Weirdly enough, none of them went after the Loftwing: all of them were all focused on the Child of Hylia's, something which was somewhat irking him, but expressed no outward concern.

'_At least' –_ he mused in a weak attempt to cheer himself up – '_now there isn't anything which might get any worse'_

As soon as he thought such, a deep and grainy voice boomed from behind him, followed by the Poes, now slowly fading at a gesture of their ruler's hand, calling up for his name: "Well, well… what a pest you are"

As the Hylian turned, his eyes widened in surprise at seeing such a large and massive masked demon coming up behind him, especially due to how he had linked the name Jalhalla to that almost childlike corrupted version of the Hero of Legend the Skyloftian idolized so much. Instead, now there was a fifteen feet all monster whose glowing eyes behind that grotesque mask, hurling giant fireballs at the Skyloftian. Luckily for him, the natural armor of the Moldorm seemed resistant to fire, not getting any lasting injuries from the globes of flames as they died out instead of engulfing it

"Still around, uh?" – The Poe continued waving his lantern, creating a quick stream of fireballs, his voice slowly growled – "ooh, I can't say I like that"

Barring the Skyfloftian wielding the moon-shaped slab of metal of the sight of sunrise by creating a dusty spherical cloud as a makeshift barrier, Jalhalla created a larger blast of fire sadistically asking Ankoku: "So why don't you give up? You know… Surrender!"

"It's over, it's over" – Ankoku yelped in answer trying to dodge every blows, but alas, part of his cheeks getting superficially burnt – "I just want to get away. It's over, Fang Boy is done for here. His next stop will be Ikana's jail"

He was sincere: Ankoku had nothing against Jalhalla, not being aware of what he had done to Igos, and he was utterly surprised at how that monster seemed to be fixated on him, outright ignoring Dodo and Fang Boy. Before he could try to figure out what was the Garo Leader's intentions were, he was hit by the lantern and sent rolling along the body of the Moldorm and was about to be smashed, hadn't he ducked in time.

"You mock me, you fight me" – the monster roared in rage trying to burn him sending him fireballs – "I don't know which is worse…"

As he was about to continue to try and kill the Hylian, the flying worm rose and charged with its jaws open, but to no use, as, being a Poe, Jalhalla was intangible and any attack phased through him.

Aria too was upset about this: the Poe King even lacked a shadow to manipulate, so she could not affect him with any magic… Of course, both her and Ankoku had though to strategize.

_If the Poe King is unaffected by any of the blow we can deliver… how come is he attacking me?, _the young man pondered as he kept dodging in confusion, getting close to the barrier of smoke and coughing a bit due to the cinder hindering his nostrils. As he looked down at what he had in his hands, he figured out the truth: it was the Moon Steel, of course.

Ankoku had been blinded twice by the light reflected by the Ikanian heirloom, which had made him realize that object was somehow able to concentrate light and he remembered a thing about the undead: they all held a glaring weakness when it came to be exposed to the sun. At this, all of sudden, he had a somewhat effective, if not somewhat risky, idea, which might have turned the situation once more at his side.

First of all, the theory: Ankoku took the Moon Steel and waved it before the Poe King who, enraged, swung his lantern as if planning to crush the young man with it, proving that, indeed, he had feared that weapon for some reason, and had gone so far to completely Dodo who had been running far from him, trying to get to safety by reaching the head of the giant insect. Instead, Dodo's master finally took out the Deku Stick he had been carrying all along and, wielding it with a hand and the Moon Steel with the other, rushed at the Poe ruler, who seemed to be in a frenzy at getting that destructive against Ankoku, clearly boasting how he was intangible to any attack.

"Ooh, yes, now you are going to see what it really means to scare" – he roared in triumph as he kept creating a higher steams of fireballs and swinging the lantern to crush Ankoku – "cause I am a Ghostly Ikanan future King, although I don't rule fair…"

As he was speaking, Ankoku had already swung his Deku stick against one of the fireballs, setting it ablaze. With the now flaming weapon, the young man headed with all the speed he could gather towards the smoke walls and with a swing cut through it. A few rays of light shone through the broken smoke barrier, rays of hopes to Ankoku and of punishment to the Poe King.

Still riding the giant Moldorm hidden in her shadow form, Aria smirked at the sight, seeing the Child of Hylia's taking the Moon Steel and diverging the light of sunrise against the monster. The now concentrated blast of light hit the monster, making a burning sound as the transparent beast roared at the blow, his skin and hue turning darker and more solid. It took all but a few seconds, but finally the Poe King was completely brought upon the tangible world, much to his horror. Taken by surprise, he had also lost his power to float and was about to crash down to the ground.

"You have been bad and tall… This makes all the more worthwhile to see a giant fall", Ankoku stated tiredly, coughing out the smoke generated by both Jalhalla's fire balls and the magical smoke barrier… not to say that, being an amateur Knight-in-Training with modest results Yet, ghost or not, monsters are always tough to be defeat, and indeed in a sprint of strength, Jalhalla managed to grab the Moldorm and tried to pull it down through sheer weight. As Ankoku was having trouble standing up with this, Dodo finally rushed in a fit of courage and picked him up by the collar of his jacket, making them both run away from the monster.

"Talk talk talk, but I tell you" – the Poe King answered managing to stand upon the worm, his words punctuated by steps making the poor beast tremble in strain – "this giant is going nowhere. You might think you are a hero, man…. But I think you are not!"

With one more swing, Ankoku and Dodo were practically about to be hit, had the blow landed successfully, would have knocked the both of them off. But the impossible happened. The blow had been blocked in mid-air by a giant hand.

A female voice echoed serious and booming, along with Ankoku's shadow rising forming a shadowy silhouette of a woman with glowing orange-colored marking which could remember the Skyloftian of the few sighting he had of Sheikah make up and symbols

"What do you think of him now, Jalhalla?", Aria asked in her truest form as her height reached the over the completely taken by surprise Poe King, while both the young boy and his Loftwing stared amazed at what they were seeing.

"Indeed, you are going nowhere" – The giant shadow said, creating dozens of tendrils which went immediately after Jalhalla, knocking his lantern away with a single swing and restraining the hand holding it against his vain efforts to pry it free– "you? Ikanan King? That will be a day"

While still unable to lift that giant bulk up, more and more shadows were engulfing the weakened Poe King, making him roar in rage. The Skyloftian looked at her worried, but rationalized they seemed to be on the same side, so he answered her with a polite nod and lifted the Moon Steel once more against the Garo Leader trying to keep him solid.

This time the Guardian of Termina did not tell anything to the monster who had dared to bring Termina to an iron first for so long: all he had to do was to succumb to the wrath of her shadows, as her energy quickly swallowed his body.

It was over, the smoke itself had faded away in the wind as the Dark Interloper had been finally defeated, a blow which every Poe in Termina felt… and, alas, there was no room for revenge

Looking in horror and fearing he had been accomplices of murder, turned his eyes at the glowing orbs shadowy silhouette, which curled up into a cheerful expression as the shadow acted as if they spit up a large white form, which was Jalhalla's mask.

Picking it up, she finally spoke once more to the Skyloftian getting to a progressively smaller size, understanding why the young man looked distressed: "Don't worry, he is not dead, I just trapped his soul in his own mask"

Now with her height being a bit shorter than Ankoku, Aria gave him the mask, making him feel how much it was pulsating and almost… alive. It made the Skyloftian feel uneasy… but he rationalized that for an amoral ruler like that, such was the rightful punishment. With a deep sigh, he turned at the shadow, wondering if I were her the responsible of the weird happenings around him, a thing she seemed to understand, as she was jokingly giggling.

"Who… who are you?", the Skyloftian could not help but ask her while handing back Jalhalla's mask, as she took even the Garo Hood as well: was the one who had made it, after all.

"Aria, I am just a little girl" – the guardian of Termina giggled further – "but I can tell you a few more things. Let us meet as soon as you can to the Clock Tower and I will explain you everything, even how to get back to your world, Sky Child. You have a few things to do, you know it"

As the lesser Goddess finished the sentence, both she and the young boy looked at the Moon Steel and understood and with a nod, Ankoku spoke silently his agreement to the deal. With a smile Aria, who had made the Twinmold lower so the young man and the steed could jump down with no harm. Aria quickly then conjured a magic and with a slow fade, she, the Moldorm, Fang Boy had disappeared, leaving the Skyloftian and his Loftwing alone on the ground of the Ikanian Valley.

* * *

_Outside of the Stone Tower, Termina, 6:02am, Second Day_

Not minding the shadow which loomed for a second above him, thinking it was still Aria's doing, the young man quickly rushed towards where he saw a few grey-skinned people, deducing they were Ikanans, with Keeta looking over at the situation with grievance.

"Captain Keeta, Sir!", the youth yelled attempting to sound like a soldier out his modest training from the Knight Academy. Disturbed by his voice, the other soldiers quickly turned at the short boy, and one was ready to tell him off, but luckily for Ankoku, the grey-skinned giant stopped them and, recognizing him, looked at how he was holding the heirloom in amazement.

They both had to tell each other a lot of things. But the presence of the corpse of the King, an half burnt skeleton, had the youth shut silent and Keeta's honor forbid him to talk. Exchanging a bow, the young man silently gave the Moon Steel and the Grapple Hook back to the giant, trying to whisper at him how he had been helped by the mysterious Goddess of Shadows, while his interlocutor solemnly accepted them and with one more bow returned to the other Ikanans who were still looking in grief and horror at their deceased King… and then… the impossible. As the skeleton was shown his family's heirloom, he quickly stood up, fully revealing himself.

While now what used to his firmly muscled body was gone, but still what was left looked somehow imposing and towering, his eyes which were miraculously intact still fierce and proud, his tattered clothing flowing in the wind with the left-over mane of his crimson colored hair.

"AT LAST, VICTORY BELONGS TO IKANA AGAIN", he roared in triumph taking the slab of steel with him and raising his sword, waiting for all his soldiers to imitate him. He was somewhat confused at the silence around him, all of them staring at him in agape shock: one of them had even fainted. And not even Keeta was cheering.

"What on Termina, Ikanans? Why this expressions? Soldiers, aren't you… ", Igos asked, only to look at his arm and remained puzzled at what he was seeing. For a second, he was even scared, but of course, a king like him would have never shown traces of doubt before his army. Still, again for a small while, he pondered how such was possible and what kind of excuse he could make up. Incredibly, he got an idea.

Therefore, with all his bride, he roared: "Soldiers, behold, look at how nothing can stop Ikanans. Not even death. We shall not die not even when killed. JOY. Victory is ours once more "

Although he was reprimanding himself for the cheesiness of his line, the soldiers looked surprised, but, recognizing that he doubtlessly was their ruler, rolled along and cheered with him. Indeed, they had somehow won once more against the Garo even at the darkest of times.

Silently reminding himself to thank the Giants and all the other guardians, the Ikanan skeleton turned at Keeta and said: "Captain… tell me, who was the brave warrior who helped us with retrieving our greatest treasure?"

The officer, doing his best to ignore how his king had somehow turned into an undead, bowed before him and quickly answered: "Although aided by the Guardians, the one brave youth who helped us to free the Moon Steel is …"

With a wave, the grey giant was about to wave to Ankoku but discovered to his surprise that he seemed to have disappeared. Exchanging glances, the Ikanians looked over and realized the young man had gone away.

"I guess I will properly thank him if he ever comes back" - Igos mused to his most trusted soldier, who hesitantly nodded, then he quickly turned at all his soldiers– "Well, my brave ones, let's rejoice, for we shall celebrate our victory now with an exquisite feast. I hope you all vegetarians, because the idea of eating some roasted chicken and ripping off chunks of meat off their bones is not compelling me right now"

Again, the small army celebrated at their king speech and quickly obliged, wishing to return home after what they feared could have been the worst day of Ikana but some twist of fate had thankfully prevented. Only Keeta, of all of them, was somewhat doubtful of what had happened, wondering whoever could have been planning such scenario and for whatever. Finally, he decided to shrug off his thoughts to return his focus to his mysteriously still alive King and wondered how come Ankoku had left, at first considering he had done so out of some duty or moral principle.

He was a bit … surprised, when, leaning his hear over the direction, could just hear the verses of a scared Loftwing and Ankoku's voice yelling: "Come on, Dodo, don't be afraid, it's just a skeleton, I have it as well. Please, quiet. I swear we are coming back Termina. Dodo? Dodoooo…"

* * *

_Clock Tower, Termina, 7:35am, Second Day_

Having finally tamed Dodo once more, Ankoku finally decided to do what he had promised Aria and reached the building at the center of Clock Town with a relatively quick pace, a bit excited he was about to finally return to his world, having grown too… weirded out and puzzled by Termina to fully appreciate it under his state of stress. He had still an incoming Wing Ceremony he wished to attend to, after all. He still needed to heal Dodo and get his scarf back, though. With a sigh, he entered inside the tower and looked around hearing a weird song on a piano. He was amazed to find a hidden room where, as both he and Dodo saw in wondered, there was a wall from where there were hanging a lot of masks, and a girl, whose silhouette reminded Ankoku of Aria's shadow form and made him realize it was her, was placing the Garo hood there.

Hearing his steps, the lesser Goddess turned at the youth and with a smile gave him a cheerful wave, which Ankoku reciprocated with a polite bow, but raised his head at Aria's giggling.

"It's nothing" - she said and sat down near a giant organ which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere – "Well, little rabbit, finally we meet each other. Thanks again for the help in Ikana. Those Garo had been irking me for a while… now the situation should fix itself… out of that horrible stone tower"

That last part had been said with some fear from her voice, but she did not elaborate, for a human was not bound to know that there are far greater horrors in the Stone Tower Temple, far worse than the one he had sighted. Therefore, she quickly switched back to her more cheerful mood and smiled at the confused youth about to speak.

"Excuse me, lady Aria, I am thankful for having saved my life against the dangers of the Stone Tower… and I am glad you are done with everything, you were great in returning there and imprison back the giant masked insect in that mysterious world prison", he answered in awe before the Guardian, who looked somewhat uneasy at this. All of sudden a door next to her opened and the poor Moldorm chirped in pain, as it had been shoved in a room it barely fit despite being coiled over and over on itself.

Petting it, Aria laughed nervously and said with a sweatdrop: "I will put it back… I swear… don't tell the Giants about this"

"Okay... I shall not - Ankoku answered rubbing the back of his head and nodded - by Her Grace, indeed. I got there in a rush to the point I forgot to bring Tingle his bagpack back"

"Oh don't worry about that scary map maker - Aria answered with a pat while making the bag slide off his shoulders - He could not be talking to you even if he wanted to: I spoke to a Giant and told me that he has been beaten up by his wife and a Gerudo called Renàle... long funny story"

As she laughed, Ankoku, sweatdropping back along with Dodo, nodded, deciding not to interrupt the young-looking girl with any question as she further spoke: "Now now... I think you should see what I am going to show you right now. It might be… interesting to you"

With a snap of her fingers, she uncovered another area of the room, revealing a familiar figure to the both of them, still looking unconscious, but was twitching as if it were about to wake up.

"Fang Boy?", Ankoku yelled in surprise, both him and Dodo almost freaking out and wondering how to attack him, only to have his forearm grabbed by Aria, who pleasantly smiled at him.

"No, no harm at him, he is just a Skull Kid" – she chirped happily turning at the imp, now almost conscious, and asking him – "hello there, who are you?"

The mysterious figure got on his knees and rubbed his forehead confused, as if he had awaken from a deep slumber: "Uh? Me? Kitoran Jarreth..."

Realizing he had just outed the name to a stranger, the pink haired imp stood up and sad, still half asleep: "Who are you? And where are we?"

As Aria spared him a glance aside, Ankoku was observing incredulous what had been his nemesis back that night, now acting more like a confused and innocent person, almost childlike in its movement. He did think for a moment it was a trick, but he was acting far to differently and also there was a weird particular in this Fang Boy: he did not have his blue flaming aura.

_How in the world… the physical resemblance is stunning, yet he acts nothing like that fiendish trickster. Was that him, or…?_

He was not able to continue his thought as a few things were starting to click: among them, the feather which seemed to belong to a giant bird and that shadow he had glimpsed as Aria had faded away previously in the Ikana valley.

He could barely start to comprehend what it meant: he had dealt with a far cleverer puppet master than he thought...

* * *

_Core of the Stone Tower, Termina, 7:40am, Second Day_

The Garo commander had been looking to the giant purple feathered monstrous bird which had appeared only a little while ago, as around the tower every Poe was acting in grief and rage to their King's defeat, only a figure seemed to remain smug enough, first taking a form of a flame, then slowly changing shape into a more humanoid, feminine outlook, her crimson eyes staring at the lantern from where a weak cyan colored flicker of flame was struggling.

With a gesture, she ordered the Garo Commander to advance, which he obediently did.

"Now now, little Garo, report immediately that the flame of sorrow has been lit but needs further alimentation, the other phases of the plan have to go to motions" - she ordered as the priest came over, to which she continued – "and get rid of those mask. That ritual brings nothing but trouble."

The Commander nodded at her commands and with a bow further asked: "What about the fall of the Poe King, mistress?"

With a grin, she quickly answered with an hint of a sardonic laughter coming from her sultry voice, her long blue colored fingers petting the soft plumage of her pet, the Helmaroc Queen: "Jalhalla was a Poe who did not know any better. His defeat has done nothing but convince the Poe to further pledge allegiance to us. After all, my plan was cardinal to his victory. His to mine… irrelevant. No need to inform the others now"

Glancing at the voluptuous blue skinned red haired figure clad in purple, staring at the one eye which was not covered by her bangs, the general nodded and further obliged with a solemn greeting: "As your will commands, Dark Interloper Veran"

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:**

**The history of Zelda, Skyloft, Hyrule and Termina, alongside its characters and setting, just like its spin-offs are (c) Nintendo**

**Aria is (c) LuvIsAThing**

**Renàle is (c) NexarkXIII**

**The Moon Steel and Kitoran is (c) Kitoma Foxx. Although Fang Boy, his Skull Kid form, is my invention, he can use it whenever he sees fit**

**Ankoku Yami and the story are all (c) Xantospoc**

**Thanks you all for having read this fic, read and review please. See ya for the next chapter :)**


	9. It's A Smaller and Smaller World

**VOLUME III: Healing My Song**

**)) Chapter 9: It's a Small and Smaller World ((**

* * *

_Clock Tower, Termina, 7:42am, Second Day_

Ankoku's line of thoughts was swiftly interrupted by Dodo nudging his side, making him snap back to reality as he looked at the imp, whose name had been revealed to be Kitoran, he had been dealing with for all the night… only that he now had a completely different attitude, clear from the fact his smug expression was replaced with a frown further matched nervous tapping of his foot.

The Skull Kid looked at the surroundings with narrowed eyes, further scowling as he saw Ankoku.

"An Hylian…", he snorted upset crossing his arms, dismissing the young boy with a glare which made him yelp in cluelessness.

_I have been called Wind-child and even Child of Hylia's, but never have I been appealed as such… admittedly though it does possess a nice rig on it_, the Skyloftian mused while the imp quickly turned at Aria, recognizing at sight her magical roots, more akin to the deity who had fathered him unlike the other presences in the room and, still with a weary expression and hand at the hilt of his sword, finally speaking.

"Who are you?" - he questioned her with a clearly suspicious look at the girl repeating the same questions – "and where am I?"

The Goddess of Shadow with her amused look and her usual light but pleasant smile, as if she were ignoring Kitoran's nebulous attitude: "Hello Kitoran, I am Aria, one of the Guardians of Termina and you are in my abode, about to free you off your course"

At this the imp raised a brow at the word course and looked at his hand and his stare quickly widened in utter horror at how his skin had turned black and straw-like.

"Man…", the imp said. While the tone was rather stoic, from his eyes it was clear he was quite embittered at this, a veil of disdain clouding over his eyes.

'_When did this happen?_', he pondered bitterly, only the comforting pat of his back from Aria making him snap back, turning his grim expression to the Goddess. They did not need to speak to each other to make a dialogue. After a few second which Ankoku and Dodo observed with calmness, the Guardian of Termina broke the silence to talk to Ankoku.

"Okay, little rabbit, time to help him out of this course", she cheered with a smile, making Ankoku raise a brow.

"I… am not a rabbit", was Ankoku attempt of a rather confused and weak comeback, Aria answered by jumping over his head and make him don somehow between his head and his hat a hood with two floppy rabbit-like ears and giving to her speechless interlocutor a wink. In the meanwhile Kitoran had sat down watching all that was happening with an amused toothy grin.

"How am I supposed to assist you in such an enchantment?" – Ankoku answered, having somehow been convinced in the process to switch topic – "Alas, I know no magic whatsoever nor I am a holder of any arcane art"

While Aria had been pulling out of her shadows a giant organ, she just quipped back: "True enough, but I have been hiding in your shadow for a relatively little while, and some magic was left over there… So I think the soles of your shoes, having been in constant contact with me… might have been enchanted"

Giving Ankoku some time to blink incredulous., Aria giggled and placing her slim and graceful fingers said: "Well, little rabbit, time to tip tap dance, I saw your soles are ironed, follow my rhythm with your feet"

Ankoku blinked confused, although his studies at the Knight Academy of Skyloft, that music was but one of the way of the Old Gods to speak and express Their word to Their creation… therefore Aria's proposal was worth a try.

The Kokiri's grin in the meanwhile had widened more at this, amused at the comicalness of the duo, although such entertained expression on his visage quickly morphed into a genuine smile as he felt the relaxing aria coming from the organ accompanied by the lightly off-key tapping of the Skyloftian. She did not need to look what she was doing. At the sweet melody, Dodo slowly relaxed and for once, did not freak out.

Her only thought were: _Cast away your old face, let go your spite, with this mask I'll ask to borrow your light_

B - A – F – B – A – F – B – A

These were the notes he heard slowly cradling him, as if he felt as let the years unwind like the gears of the very clock tower they were in. Ankoku could see that slowly glowing light blue marks were appearing on Kitoran's black straw-like skin, slowly enveloping it into a bright light everywhere except his face, which seemed it had had grown over a thick white layer, which the imp immediately tore off with an hand, revealing it had become a skull-faced mask which had covered a lightly sharp-lined, yet clearly youthful face of what could barely be a pre-teen.

Finally the light faded away from the room with the young Skyloftian and his Loftwing tilting their head in curiosity looked at what seemed to be now nothing more but a mere child in black clothes and with, incredibly enough, the same bright pink hair and crimson tint on the eyes that he had already in his Skull Kid form, a delighted smile adorning his boyish face. The atmosphere had something ethereal and dreamy… which meant that it was suddenly and absolutely shattered when Aria all of sudden snatched the mask from Kitoran chortling a childish: "Mine"

After a brief beat of silence the Guardian of Termina used to hang the new mask along her collection on the wall, Kitoran finally stretched amazed at having returned normal, still wondering exactly what had happened. All he could remember were those cerulean flames seizing while he was in the fields him and then… He had found himself with a lesser Goddess and one of the people of the race he despised the most.

"Well, time to return to the Kokiri Forest" – Kitoran said dusting himself off – "I think I need some new clothings. Goddess Aria …. Hylian… bye!"

As the pink haired person was about to leave, Ankoku, having heard the word 'Kokiri', caught up to him and chirped: "Wait, what, Kokiri? What? Why?"

Raising a brow, Kitoran answered with a light deadpan: "Well, it's been a while since I have been there,

which is unusual for a Kokiri like me… and my clothes kind of resent this. Look at them"

"Uh? How?" – Ankoku said complying the Kokiri's request surprised at discovering the truth – "they might be a bit torn off, but they look quite elegant with such a deep black color and…"

"… they were green!", Kitoran cut him off from what he took was an attempt to kiss up to him, Aria busting in laughter at hearing such and Ankoku embarrassed for having made once more a fool out of himself. Shaking his head in shame, he quickly set his priorities straight and switched topic.

"My apologies… Still, a Kokiri? Excuse me, Mr. Jarreth, but I might need your assistance, for I have to reach that place as well, and I… well, discovered I have no talent when it comes to orient myself through the Lost Woods…", Ankoku said, only to have the Kokiri in black interrupt him once more.

"… no wonder. Still, why should I help you, Hylian?"; he asked narrowing his eyes, only to Ankoku to show him with a gesture Dodo's broken wing, a thing which struck the Kokiri, who, while he might have had a deep dislike for Hylia's children, he was still taught to love animals and nature by the Great Deku Tree.

As she felt his conflict, Aria caught up the opportunity and pointed out: "Remember that you owe him your life. Without him, I could have never found you"

That was a bad blow for the Kokiri, and clenched his teeth. To owe something? To a child of Hylia's?

_NEVER!_, was Kitoran's inner answer, the answer impressed in his mind in big burning capital letters at which he turned at the boy and answered with a sigh

"Okay, I suppose you have no hope otherwise not to fall into the Curse of the Lost Woods. Come with me, we will reach the Kokiri forest in no time", Kitoran said looking at Aria for further indication, to which she gave a quick reply.

"Outside that door you are led to your Lost Woods, you should find the way easily after that" – the child like Goddess answered, at which Kitoran started to leave with a nod, but she needed to talk to Ankoku at which she cheered - "Hey little rabbit, a last thing before leaving… can you make me a favor?"

As he nooded, Aria continued: "Can you bring me… whenever you have time…. a few Gratitude Crystals.. not too many… around one hundred? They are for a friend of mine… you know, a rather happy fellow who likes to collect masks like me… although I don't understand why, he even likes to sell them… oh well, I am diverging the conversation… so can you help me?"

Ankoku blinked in confusion and was about to ask exactly what a Gratitude Crystal was and how to get them, but before he could speak Kitoran yelled: "I am getting goooing"

At this both Ankoku and his Loftwing rushed all of sudden to the point the latter picked the former with its beak, forcing the Skyloftian to answer as fast as he could: "Okay, sure enough, I will take this sidequest. Might I wish good riddance, Lady Aria, bye"

And so, as the Guardian of Termina waved at them before resuming to play with her now larger collection of asks before resuming again her duties and investigate further of what had happened that night, the trio left in the darkness which belonged to the gap between Hyrule and Termina.

* * *

_Kokiri Forest, The Surface, 8:42am, Second Day_

Thanks to Kitoran's help and experience, Ankoku and Dodo did not get lost again in the Woods and quickly made their way towards the entrance of the Forest they had looking for, hopeful the magical race of children of the forest could help them.

"Therefore, you have to go left, right, three other right…", Ankoku asked cheerfully trying to remember the pattern they had taken, only for Kitoran to give off an important information.

"The woods change their form every time to trap fools like you, Hylian", he deadpanned as he walked further, seeing some Deku Nuts and picking them up.

"What are those unique seeds?", Ankoku asked picking them up and raising them over his head to show the Kokiri what had picked up.

"Well" – the pink haired kid answered - "You got a Deku Nut. It will flash and stun the enemy… wait a second: have you never picked them up despite you have been here for so long? They are the first thing Kokiri pick up here…"

At this finally Kitoran questioned him: "… How did you survive so far?"

The answer came from a shrug from Dodo which convinced the three of them to remain silent in the sweet and enchanting atmosphere in the forest until they reached the entrance of the village, where a figure seemed to be waiting for them. It was another child, lightly older than Kitoran, but still younger than Ankoku, with a round face, rosy cheeks and dressed in green, with lightly torn greens short , a loose shirt and a comically small hat which oddly resembled a smaller version of Ankoku's idol, and was carrying a Deku Stick. As he saw the group of three people, his eyes narrowed and stood on, ready not to make them pass, especially the boy in blue. In theory, he should have let the other Kokiri pass… but still…

"Ankoku, are you ready to get past Mido?", Kitoran asked with a grin ready for the new challenge which he had missed for so long. Of course, he did not expect Ankoku to succeed in this, knowing his old rival's trick.

Indeed, Ankoku not understanding, simply walked towards the new Kokiri, trying to observe past him: so many children clad in green like the luscious grass enveloping the landscape with mighty trees and small houses of wood which seemed to have been built like the house tree of a common kid's dream, and with many fairies dangling around those cheerful little people.

_So far but in the end the place I poured so much blood and sweat for_

He immediately bowed down before him and resumed speaking with his usual flowery speech pattern: "My humblest greetings, Mido my name is…"

As he was continuing, the Kokiri swung his Deku Staff hitting hard against the fork of his legs, making his voice turn into a high pitched yelp.

"It's 'great Mido' to you, Hylian… with weirdly floppy ears" - the Kokiri answered – "and, for your interest, only I decide who gets past here in the village and…"

As Mido was speaking Kitoran helloed him from behind with a big grin, sticking his tongue childishly at him: "Everyone but me, apparently!"

"Kitoran" – Mido growled, imitated by his pale green colored fairy – "Again here? I thought you had run again off once for all"

Stepping back, Ankoku heard Kitoran snap back with a grin, crackling his knuckles: "I missed owning you every time I am here"

"Own me? Really" – Mido said hands on his hips with a smirk, their rivalry quickly lighting up once more – "last time I won, if I remember correctly. A well placed hook at your face"

His pride hurt, Kitoran quickly clenched his fist with a fast snap back, not noticing a dark pink, almost purple colored, fairy: "I had been up all night, otherwise I could use you a doormat any day"

"Details" – the taller Kokiri bragged puffing up his chest as Dodo rolled his eyes at such squabble, Ankoku standing speechlessly puzzled – "I could do it even now. Wanna try me?"

"Any place, at any time", the pink haired Kokiri quipped challengingly, but all of sudden a third voice raised from them both, a voice of a pretty girl which looked thirteen at most with short green hair gathered with a dark green hairband, her blue eyes looking at the small group of boys and with a voice which fit her age, although resounded somewhat more mature and wise than an average child, cheerfully helloed them.

"Hi Kitoran, Hi Mido", the Kokiri girl, said with a bright smile, as the two Kokiri had a vivid blush upon their cheek and all of sudden their attitude changed as they hugged each other and started acting as if they were best friend.

"Oh my Kitoran, how much I missed you. I was so worried"; Mido said in a somewhat higher pitched voice.

"Same for me, Mido" – Kitoran said badly acting as well, hugging back as if trying to strangle him – "I just could not wait to see my best friend"

Done with their embrace, the duo unconvincingly attempted to look like they had just noticed her and both of they answered in way which sounded nonchalantly roughly in unison: "Oh hello Saria, what's up?"

"It's okay" – she said with a bright laughter with a matching smile and her fairy letting out a joyous trill – "just strolling around with Gate. I am glad to have you back Kitoran. Are you going to disappear for long again?"

Kitoran let out a chuckle, trying to hide his blush by getting in a thinking position and with a shrug quipped with his usual grin: "Who knows? I am likely to change my clothes first"

As a jealous Mido was about to attempt to get Saria's attention, the green-haired Kokiri's stare shifted to the fairly confused Skyloftian and his mount.

"And who might you be?", she gently asked them stepping forward looking at the bunny-eared Hylian, while both the other Kokiri made a step aside. Once out of her range of sight, they both exchanged a lightly playful punch in the loins.

"Anyway, that move against that Hylian was not bad at all, I give you that", Kitoran whispered at to his rival who gave him a begrudging but proud thank you as they both turned at Saria, both upset that she seemed more interested at the newcomer, an Hylian, to boot.

Ankoku, surprised, pondered aloud pointed at himself and with a bow greeted her: "Who, me? Oh my where are my manners? Sorry for my impoliteness and please accept my humblest greeting, my name is Ankoku Yami, son of Kage Yami and Shini Goroshi from Skyloft, a mere student of the Knight Academy"

With a giggle the little girl answered politely mirroring his kindness and answered: "Nice to meet you Ankoku, my name is Saria, Kokiri born from the Deku Tree… "

As her gaze shifted to Dodo, her eyes lit up in surprise as she continued to question the Skyloftian and making a gesture to the bird to come closer: "Is that a _Solcanubi_?"

"That is correct, Lady Saria, I am amazed you know the scientific name of the Loftwing" - Ankoku said following Dodo as Saria petted his soft plumage, noticing his broken wing and looking concerned as his owner continued – "and indeed, I hate to detain your kindness, but my forthcoming here is not a travel done out of my leisure: my Dodo has been forced to walk here with a wounded wing he unfortunately deceived in an accident as we crash landed in the woods nearby and…"

Saria immediately figured out where the speech was going to end up, and she interrupted him with her kind answer, looking at both of them: "No need to speak no more, I will gladly accept to assist the healing of your plumed friend, although you seem quite battered yourself. I suppose you have gone through a rash travel"

Ankoku, preferring not to bother her with the details of the misadventure he went through the godless world known as Termina, and summed up his answer as: "As I aforesaid, there was no leisure travel. But my health care need not to be looked over at the moment, for, although I have already administered the broken wing an impromptu healing, it hold primary priority"

Smiling at this noble hood, Saria said: "Very well, then, follow me to my house, I will comply your request"

The two Kokiri boy, green in jealousy and envy, glared at the fact the Hylian was going to their crush's place, with Kitoran going so far to give Ankoku a gesture which meant he was keeping an eye on him, although, much to his dismay, the blue clad boy seemed not to have understood, as he had replied with a gentle bow st before parting ways with Saria, looking in amazement at her fairy thrilling around her somewhat cheerfully.

"Truly I am bewildered by the number of fairy. It seems that all of you but Kitoran have one", the Skyloftian said, making the pink haired Kokiri in black widen his eyes realizing what he had forgotten since his awakening.

Mido, realizing thig, teased him with a smirk: "Indeed, Kitoran… where is your fairy?"

"Mido, you would never dare …", the other Kokiri said his facial strenuous clearly strained, creeping out by the thought.

The hat wearing Kokiri did not answer him, he just yelled four words: "Naaavi, Kitoran is back"

If glare could kill, Kitoran would have obliterated the guardian of the entrance of the village while growling: "Mido, I swear this time I will kill …"

Unfortunately, he would have not been able to finish the sentence as a sapphire colored orb with the insect like wings immediately pounced on him, first cheering then reprimanded the Kokiri: "HEY, Kitoran. Oh my I had lost you. I swear I am never going to stand how you disappear, do you have any idea how much time I have to spend asking for everyone in the Lost Woods. Now listen, young man …"

As the pink haired Kokiri clad in black groaned at his fairy's chiding, Ankoku amd Saria reached the green-haired Kokiri's house

* * *

_Saria's House, Kokiri Village, The Surface, 9:00am, Second Day_

"Kimiko, I am home", Saria cheered at her friend, a pale skinned, bright green eyed girl, taller than most Kokiri, with waist length silver hair held back by a braided grass headband, dressed with a knee-length dark green tunic belted at the waist with softened deku bark, followed by Ankoku who instead opted for a far more colorful greeting.

"My humblest greeting, my name is Ankoku Yami, son of…", he said, quickly interrupted by Dodo's exasperated squawk, which made everyone yelp in surprise.

The silver haired Kokiri silently looked at her friend puzzled wondering what an Hylian was doing there, but Saria quickly calmed her down with her mature yet kind tone of voice: "Hey, Kimi, can you help us? This poor _Solcanubi_ is wounded. After all, you are the best potion maker here"

Kimiko blushed and looked in surprise at this then her main concerns turned to Dodo, examining his wounded wing and with a timid smile answered with a smile: "Sure, I can do it, Kiya, bring me a Blue Potion"

At this a dark maroon colored fairy complied with such with a joyous sound mimicking a thrill of bells. It was a quick operation as Dodo was given the potion first down his throat then applied on the wound. It was an operation of almost an entire hour and extreme care which Ankoku witnessed all the time, his heart beating soundly in the hope his steed would have been healed, and all while Kitoran and Mido occasionally peeked through the windows to check them. In the end, he even ended up doing his best trying to hold up the structure of the broken wing.

Finally, after a bit, Saria and Kimiko looked at such, and the former turned at the Skyloftian telling him: "Your Dodo is a very strong birdie, he will resume flying in less than an hour"

Overjoyed at this, the young Skyloftian smiled and let out a child-like cheer at this hugging Dodo and answered: "Here we are Dodo, one step forward the Ceremony of Wings, we just misses my scarf, thanks for everything, Lady Saria and Kimiko"

Both Kokiri giggled at this, the silver haired one blushing as well and commenting: "Well, such potion come from Ezlo's teaching, you should thank him as well"

"Sure enough" – Ankoku answered with a cheer, then could not help but ask – "which Kokiri is Ezlo?"

Saria looked at him and quickly replied: "Ezlo is not a Kokiri, he is a Minish"

Seeing his puzzled stare, the green haired girl explained further more of what she meant: "The Minish resemble anthropomorphic mice that have long pointy ears like us, invisible to adults, it is said that only good children can see them… or us Kokiri. They helped us a lot in building the village, teaching us everything they could from handcraftsmanship to magic"

Ankoku looked at her amazed and then he realized what she meant, linking such story to another fable he heard as a child, cheering in world: "Oh my… then you mean the Picori. My God, I ended up for so many days in hope to see them and talk. Unfortunately, failure had been the fate which befell upon my attempts"

Saria, saddened at hearing such, patted him in the floppy ears of the Bunny Hood and with a smile, looked outside the widow, then her look shifted to Kimiko and they nodded with a smile asking: "Would you like to see them?"

At this both the Loftwing and the Skyloftian turned puzzled at this and Saria continued: "I know, you should be already too adult, but I think there is still… quite the inner child within you. Do this, close keep open only the left eye, the one closest with your heart… you might take a look at them this way"

Incredulous, Ankoku obeyed this covering his right eye with his hand, trying to shift his stare as much as possible with his inner child, at first the world did not seem to change. He then looked casually at the window and then he saw them: three small figures which were peeking outside the window, no bigger than a thumb.

"Oh my, what a sight, thanks Saria", he said looking better at them, admiring their peculiar appearance. All of them were dressed in flowing robes with a big floppy hat, and looked indeed like a unique mix of a mice with Skyloftian, with nice snouts and big eyes. As soon as he crosses eyes with the tallest one, brunette w ith yellow eyes and clad in red, she shyly hid behind the shortest one, with honey blond long hair who instead walked up in front of him and cheerfully waved, her tail shaped like a small feather happily waving back and forth. The third just looked confused and surprised at the newcomer being able to see them so easily.

""My humblest greeting, little Minish" – the clad blue boy answered going before them bowing down at their height to give them a better look - "my name is Ankoku Yami, from Skyloft, whom do I have the honor to talk with?"

"Hello there Ankoku, I am Zadi of the Forest Picori, nice to meet you" – she said with the cutest smile Ankoku had ever seen in his life, combining animals like a rabbit with a happy child then turned at the other Minish, which, while she was as tall as Zadi, due to her ears looked like to be the tallest of the group, and spoke encouragingly at her – "and this one is Lili. Come on, Lili, say hello"

At this, the dirty blonde haired Minish blushed, a bit intimidated by the bigger interlocutor and before hiding again behind with a bright blush adorning her cheek she only managed to muster: "Hmm… hi"

"My humblest greetings you too, Lili" – the Skyloftian said finally facing the third one – "and who might you be?"

The Minish did not seem to talk and just mimicked Ankoku to get closer. Ankoku obeyed, looking straight at his crimson eyes until he was finally so close he could touch it. The Minish looked straight at him, adjusting his hat so to show the mark of a moon upon it, then looked inquiring at Ankoku and rose his small clawed four fingered hand closing a bit.

Finally, he spoke.

"I AM VAATI", he answered and then punched Ankoku straight in the eye.

* * *

**Trivia: Solcanubi is an existing term in Italian, which means Cloudsailer, and it's also the name of the Loftwing in Italy.**

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:**

**The history of Zelda, Skyloft, Hyrule and Termina, alongside its characters and setting, just like its spin-offs are (c) Nintendo**

**Aria and Zadi are (c) LuvIsAThing**

**Kimiko and Kiya are (c) SZF**

**Kitoran is (c) Kitoma Foxx. **

**Lili is (c) Maanga **

**Ankoku Yami and the story are all (c) Xantospoc**

**Thanks you all for having read this fic, read and review please. See ya for the next chapter :)**


	10. Rock Out And Roll Along Brother

**VOLUME III: Healing My Song**

**)) Chapter 10: Rock Out And Roll Along, Brother ((**

* * *

_Outside Saria's House, Kokiri Village, The Surface, 9:37am, Second Day_

"Look Ankoku, I know that we healed you" – Saria answered slightly concerned at the Hylian, his Bunny Hood lying at her side – "and I understand you are grateful of me and Kimiko healing you as well after that punch from Vaati, but there is no need to trim the grass outside my house"

Ankoku just waved at both her and the incredulous Kimiko , too embarrassed to speak further, with Mido and Kitoran watching him as they had, on their own words, happened to stroll around there, and the Zadi was chiding Vaati, who had sat on the edge of the window with his arm crossed, while being used as a cover by Lili.

"Indeed" – Zadi answered with a frown looking at the purple clad albino Minish, although her angry voice just made her nose twitch cutely – "why did you hurt him like that, Vaati? He acted so peaceful"

"Now he knows who is in charge", Vaati answered looking at the short Hylian, lightly pushing the Lili back to the other Minish who gladly took her back.

"I don't get why he is so obsessed with the eye though", the shiest of the trio muttered to Zadi, who just shrugged innocently, inwardly admitting that still that quirk had helped them a lot when that Gohma spawn had attacked them, then switching the stare to the Bunny Hood set next to her, as she heard a small tingle before Ankoku finally answered.

"It's a pleasure to uphold such task to appease you and pay you back", Ankoku answered as he finished his self-appointed task. It was a decent work for one who had never taken on gardening.

'_I will have to make more Kokiri act like him_', Mido mused in his mind, with Kitoran glaring at that scheming look. Saria, understanding the Skyloftian's real efforts, smiled again at him and decided to give him a little reward with one of the most peculiar sight the Kokiri had to offer any stranger and walked up to him with her kind smile, letting the trio of Minishes to sit on her shoulder, with Lili hiding behind her hair and Zadi whispering something at her. Vaati instead turned at Kitoran and Mido who, recognizing who had given them tips to fight dirty (and how to punch people in the eye), and received a militaristic salute, and gave them a thumb up.

"Ankoku – the green-haired Kokiri said, making him turn as she picked up the Bunny Hood – you have been so kind, do you want to follow me to wake up the Great Deku Tree?"

"The … pardon, the what?", he asked puzzled blinking quickly his eyes, but before he could ask further Saria took his hand and, despite he was taller and stronger, successfully dragged him away with a cheerful giggle, as bright as the thrill of her fairy, while Mido immediately rushed and Navi was carrying forcefully Kitoran pulling his clothes.

"Navi, really, I want to go on my own…" the pink haired Kokiri muttered annoyed by the overbearing fairy, who had immediately cut him off with quick trill which could have belonged to a bell.

"Listen, Kitoran– the winged cerulean orb chirped, showing amazing strength of a being whose size was comparable to a Minish – you will visit the Great Deku Tree and LIKE IT. My, I how did I get I need to call every second"

With a sigh, the black clad boys were both dragged towards what Ankoku considered to be the largest tree of the Kokiri forest and, by extension, the tallest he had ever seen in his life, even dwarfing the size of the one he had glimpsed where the Kikwi were living. And, even more curiously, such arboreal construct, surrounded by so many thrilling fairies… seemed to have a natural formation shaped like a human face, coming with even two wooden mustaches below a thick nose and a thin and small mouth, although given its size it could have swallowed a whole person.

As Ankoku looked in amazement at the giant plant, Saria smiled at them all, took a deep breath while pulling out an ocarina and started blowing in it, cheerfully playing a song slowly copied first by Gate, then by every of the lesser spirit of the forest, with even Ankoku lightly tapping it to rhythm, trying to understand the notes of that music, as the fairies joined mimicked it and Kitoran fondly whistled it, tapping the Ocarina he had tapped at his side, inwardly complained how there were too many people to exploit such opportunity and play it with Saria.

A – B – F – A – B – F – A –B

As the young man was amazed at the beauty of the melody, he felt a slow him as the other fairies thrilled and, much to his disbelief, the tree's eyes opened , showing the glint of the Farore's gift of life. All the Kokiri and the three Mininshes made a bow of respect in a moment of solemnity, as the arboreal spirit awoke and spoke

"Greetings, my children of the forest, and, _Picori Picori Picori_"-The Great Deku Tree announced, awakening from his slumber, his voice deep and mysterious like the hidden forest he ruled, then turning to the Minishes and saying something which Ankoku was not able to make up, but at which the trio bower before, with Lili letting out a bright blush and a shy squeak.

"_Picori Picori_", the trio said with a respectful bow as the Deku Tree turned at Saria.

"As usual, thou hast given me a delightful tune, Saria, my humblest praises"- The Protector Deity continued as his His gaze had turned to the one whom he had never laid eyes upon, standing slightly taller than the Kokiri and dressed in a garb that wasn't from the forest -"Oh? What is this? Oh, I sense you are a child of the Goddess Hylia, am I correct in guessing?""

Ankoku couldn't help but bow before the great deity of the forest, and to be addressed as a child of his own goddess he didn't feel worthy of the title bestowed upon him by the Great Deku Tree and spoke: "I... It is a pleasure to finally meet the father of the Kokiri Forest. Please, I must apologies for my intrusion and..."

"Fear not, young Hylian." The Great Deku Tree spoke, his voice commanding and full of wisdom "I sense you do not wish to bring harm to this sacred forest, and for that, I grant you passage."

Ankoku couldn't help but sink into a lower bow, given permission to enter the borders of the Kokiri Forest was a wonderful gift "Thank... Thank you, wise arboreal ancestor."

"Now, young Hylian." - The Deku Tree began -"What may I do for all of you, my guests?"

Ankoku looked in utter awe at the deity, about to ask more about many other things, but all of sudden a voice belonging to a body incredibly small boomed to interrupt him: "I AM VAATI, and I am one of Ezlo's apprentice, sent on a mission to look for the ores of Din's Irons. Might you tell us, _please_?"

Vaati's tone sounded incredibly arrogant considering the circumstanced, and had almost shocked every other person around, only the Deku Tree managing to keep his composure, inwardly amused at how that Minish could speak Hylian so fluenty, and he answered calmly and kindly: "Apprentice of Ezlo, the ores your master are looking for lay far away from this forest, deep towards one of the mountains nearby the Eldin Volcano, where the Goron have taken residence and have been building their mines since they have settled down from their nomadic way"

As Vaati answered by silently cursing and weakly stomping the ground, but this was the time of Ankoku to speak and question the wise guardian: "My apologies, Guardian of the Forest, but am I somewhat confused by your statement: from what I read of the recounting of the tale of the Hero of Legend, should be the Mogma be living around the Eldin province?"

"That is supposedly correct, young child of Hylia's, at that time it had been Mogma who had been scavenging the area looking for treasures and riches, but, several decades ago, they have sold the area for the Gorons to inhabit, for the Eldin Volcano is both their ancient home and the grave of one the proudest figure of the Rockbiters, the Wielder of the Megaton Hammer. Since then those rogue treasure hunters have not been seen again in Hyrule, but I think they might be lurking around in some nearby land. Such a nomadic race can be rather resistant and difficult to keep forever underground", the Deku Tree answered, with everyone with the exception of Vaati listening in glee at the short gem of knowledge from the Great Deku Tree. In particular, Kitoran had been smirking, as he already knew this due to his many travel around, and Navi, misinterpreting such reaction as him being not attentive, and immediately trilled him to wipe off that smile off his face and listen to the Tree.

In the meanwhile, Ankoku, in the greatest glee, listened at such cheering at the hints of the bigger legend going on in the tree of the lesser god: "A grave to a mighty hero, you state? Such is a great trivia of a land I knew so little about"

At this the Arboreal guardian let a small laughter as he kept speaking: "Oh oh, just let me state, young Ankoku, there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Dozen are the myths I could speak to you about: the dreadful tale of the Tor siblings, something about the first race who built a city in sky well before Hylia did the same, the story of the first Crimson Loftwing… or even a few interesting bits of Trivia of the small creatures which are honoring my sight"

Understanding he was talking of them, Zaid and Lili blushed, while the purple clad Minish puffed his chest in pride, Saria smiled as she sat next to Kitoran who was blushing while Navi let out a loud 'hey', turning into a massive moment killer, Mido went next to the Deku Tree to whisper something at him and finally, Dodo took action and nudged his owner in the shoulder, making him bolt a memory in mind: the Wing ceremony, it was to start this very evening. He was lucky that for this occasion the contest was held at night, for he still had to find his scarf. Truly, he had no idea how such day could get worse….

With one more bow, Ankoku had to unfortunately to part ways with the Arboreal ancestor and spoke: "I apologize for cutting off early such an interesting dialogue between all of us… unfortunately, I should be leaving this forest as soon as possible due to matter of utmost urgency. Such a shame, for I enjoyed our conversation… but alas, I must part ways. I apologize to leave, might we see each other again"

At this, the three Minishes remembered their own job to do, and Zadi decided to speak to avoid another one of Vaati's arrogant assortments: "I do apologize, Great Deku Tree, but we too should go: for Minishes like us, a travel to the Eldin Province is so tiring… please forgive us"

The Great Deku Tree nodded, understanding the hurry in his voice, but he answered: "Best wishes for your journey, spirits of the microcosm. And I do understand, Wind Child , I will not delay you any further, but please, before you leave, might you Take this gift from us with you?"

Seeing the blue clad boy nodding, while all the Kokiri sighed in relief as they had easily figured out what their Guardiant meant, as a treasure chest magically appear out of thin air and opened before Ankoku who, taken by surpirised, peeked his head to get a glimpse of it and looked at it in shock as he took it and lifted it, revealing it was a slingshot, green in color, resembling a muscle-bound Tingle in a flexing pose.

"DON'T DARE TO POINT THAT THING AT ME", Vaati yelled clenching his fist while Lili retreated scared first behind him and then Zadi as she was pushed off by the purple clad Minish, all the Koki looking in light disgust at the horrid looking weapon, while Ankoku looked inquiringly at the Arboreal Deity, while Dodo squeaked in fear

"Has a man who looked like this been here? I ask because… well, he does come from where I live", he asked somewhat confused as he kept looking at the weird-looking slingshot.

"What? You lived in the same city as Tingle?" – Saria asked concerned, looking genuinely worried for the Skyloftian – "I … am so sorry"

"He has been somewhat close at reaching our village, but took a wrong turn in the Lost Woods"- the Great Deku Tree answered him –"Since then we have not seen him again, but that Slingshot has creeped many of my children out. Might you… bright it as far away as possible?"

The young man, although confused, nodded as he placed the weapon in his belt and, with a polite bow, greeted everyone asthree small Picori joined him, for they were among the few creatures able to venture through the Lost Wood without getting lost, and finally took their leave.

* * *

_Faron Woods, The Surface, 10: 22 am, Second Day -_

As they had to get to the forest pretty much together, the trio of Minish had decided to exploit Ankoku's relatively bigger size to walk faster to their destination: Lili had been hiding inside Ankoku's hat, her head occasionally peeking inside but as soon as she felt as much as a little bird chirping she was to hide again inside her protection, Zadi felt more adventurous, so she was standing on one of the ears of the Bunny Hood, occasionally relaxing on its fluffy ears, remaining still alert for Lili, knowing of her shyness. Vaati, instead, was just standing atop the Deku Stick Ankoku was using as a support for walking, acting with his though attitude as if he was the boss of the group. Luckily for them, Ankoku did not mind being used for such, just enjoying to be again with Dodo and how the both of them were fully healed, although there were two things which had been bugging him, the most important of which was the excessive quietness of the area. Again, it had been a few hours since they bad been walking and, again, no hostile creature to attack him. How come?

As he was about to ask any of them, Lili all of sudden got out of the hat, her ears twitching convulsively as she squeaked all of sudden with her meek and shy tone: "Oh no!"

Ankoku was to turn his stare, but immediately Zadi with her rodent-like quickness had reached her friend and asked concerned with her big eyes: "What's up Lili?"

"Oh no!", the shyest of the small spirits kept squeaking in fear as all of them heard sounds in the bushes. Ankoku didn't know what to do, Dodo hissed as if to scare whatever was about to attack, and Vaati cracked his knuckles ready to punch everyone's eyes out

"Oh n-", Lili cried again now fully sure of what was that presence, but before she could end her sentence a loud POOF covered her sound, the shape of a familiar fox-like animal with Ankoku's red scarf around its neck appeared

"Hehe… Oh yes! "Hehe… Oh my, not happy to see me?", the Keaton asked with his mused tone, his grin wider than ever.

Dodo and Vaati just drew an annoyed sigh at him, while Zadi was the most relaxed of all of them as she smiled at the curious looking creature, while Ankoku, having the most recent memory, just bolted and pointed at him, his only word coming up in light annoyance was: "You!"

The three tailed fox tilted his head with his usual smirk and eyes always shut as first he turned around, faking ignorance, then as he looked back at the Sky Child he pointed at himself innocently repeating: "Heh heh, yes me!"

Before Ankoku could speak, the mischievous critter teleported again closer at him flipping Lili away from the boy's head and making her hold on his snout as she yelped in fear as he teleported outside and started running quickly at her.

"And little Lili, how are you?", the Keaton asked to the minuscule adorable critter with nonchalance at her yelp until she finally gained the courage to speak.

"K-k-k-k-keaton!"; she cried with a blush as she kept getting balloted right and left by her playful companion, who answered with an over the top pout at this: after all, he loved pranks, but hated to act mean-spirited.

"Well well! And do you like my scarf?", the Keaton asked with a wink as he teleported and let her land gracefully on Ankoku's hat, and finally turned at the Skychild with a big grin, playfully wriggling his eyebrows, and waggled his tails in joy

"Hehe, both old friends and good friends" – the Keaton mused aloud looking first at Lili, then Ankoku, his ears twitching as if to give different emotions due to his eternally struck grin on his fox-like visage – "Amusing!"

"Please, you – Vaati growled in Ankoku's ear upset at the newcomer, loud enough that the prankster could hear him – just get away from this son of a _Picori Pi _Vixen!"

"Me? Oh my!" – the Keaton said for a second acting over dramatic at Vaati's insult – "And I suppose you will leave me here!"

"We can, and we will", Vaati said crossing his arm, uncaring of the animal's pleas as it turned back. Of course, they were all just a ploy for the Keaton to strike the purple-clad Minish's weak spot.

"Oh my, little Minish, aren't you a coward?", Keaton asked, his challenging grin now betraying his performance, as Vaati became red in embarrassment at this and growled in a failed attempt to look intimidating, at which the three tailed fox laughed loudly.

Finally, while Zadi, who had admittedly grow fond of the Keaton's joking attitude, took Vaati away from the prankster before he could bust in anger, Ankoku managed to insert in such dialogue and politely spoke to the Keaton: "Uh… excuse me Keaton… now… might I have my scarf back?"

Of course, the Keaton's answer was nothing but a playful flap of the loose ends of the scarf and a grin as he wriggled his brows and let out his standard laughter: "Hehe! You really want it back?"

"Ah… is there no other way?", Ankoku asked slightly exasperated, at which the Keaton answered with a slightly not-so-innocent shrug before shaking his head.

"No!", the Keaton teased him with a wink.

The Skyloftian, deciding to use a different approach from his usual, took out Tingle's slingshot at the Keaton, which, looking in amusement at the horrible looking weapon, let out a laugh and said: "Oh my please, Sky Child, don't point that at me"

Blinking, Ankoku thought that after all, to use that, even against a prankster, was in fact a bit too much, and mumbled an apology as he set it back in his belt, with Keaton playfully winking again at him.

Accepting his fate, the young child of Hylia's set the bunny hood, with all three the Minishes on Dodo's head as he took off in an attempt to once more catch the scarf off that Keaton's neck

* * *

_Faron Woods, The Surface, 10: 37 am, Second Day -_

It was all thanks to Dodo the three Minishes could witness the skirmish, with Vaati yelling and overreacting, Lili hiding inside Dodo's plumage, Zadi enjoying the scene as she had sat down on the edge of Dodo's beak, comically waving her feet with her cat-like smile at full display, and overall remaining nice and quiet and letting anyone who wanted join them to look the spectacle. Unfortunately for Ankoku, between his perilous travel in Termina and how he had never rested he had spent a massive amount of energies, a thing which was quite clear how he was barely trying to be subtle in his attempt to charge at the nameless Keaton.

He even had a moment where the stopped in the middle of running as if he had forgotten for a second what it was doing, a thing which even Keaton had been inwardly raised an eyebrow at, although had not shown any outward worry, but, as he saw Ankoku tripping after his last attempt to attack he teleported on the boy's back and shook his head.

"Hehe, you missed me, Hylian", he mocked the young child looking at him. Ankoku had clearly gone through a bit of tension, as he had a face on one who was outright obsessed with that clothing.

_That scarf… must be… mine… again…_ - Ankoku's fragmentary thoughts were as he was touching nervously his own neck, trying to calm himself, but without the scarf to caress, he felt into a frenzy and had an incredible non sequitur – _I…. need… the…_

"….The… Megaton Hammer!" – Ankoku said in a sudden frenzy, almost as if he were possessed, remembering what the Great Deku Tree had told him, then pointed at the Keaton telling him – "I … will smack… that grin off your face WITH the Megaton Hammer!"

At hearing this Dodo's jaw dropped and overall everyone but the mischevious three tailed mammal had a surprised reaction. Of course, Keaton had not quite expected a reaction like this from what looked to be a kind boy, but he just tilted his head in amusement.

"Oh my?", he asked again with a light mockery tone, while in his brain formulated again one more plan, slightly more benevolent. This boy wanted the Megaton Hammer and needed a rest, the Keaton knew how to give him both, quickly he teleported over Dodo's back and with his paw made a gesture to Ankoku.

"Come over here, Wind Born", the Keaton said for once dropping any gesture which could hint at a second end, deciding to leave the surprise for later as the Skyloftian stood up and did as he obeyed, setting his hand on the soft plumage of his Loftwing

_Very well… this is amusing,_ The prankster mused as with a mere wink at his friends, he used his teleport, making everyone disappear along with him in a quick movement

* * *

_Base of Eldin Volcano, The Surface, 10: 43 am, Second Day -_

All the other looked incredulous at the change, with the exception Lili, as she had already been teleported with the Keaton in other occasions, but as shy and easily scared as she was, she was squeaking in fear while holding on the stunned Dodo's head, Lili patting her defensively.

"What sorcery is this?", Vaati angrily growled pointed at the Keaton: even though he knew the innate power of that species, due to the studies with Ezlo, he hated being manipulated like that, while Ankoku just raised a brow at the prankster.

Giving a parting nod and wink to Lili, at which she nodded back with a bright blush, the Keaton forbid everyone to ask him any further question just chuckled and disappeared with a loud: "Hehe, THAT ALL FOLKS!"

Most of them confused and disoriented at the what quick pace everything had been going on, Ankoku trying to wonder where else could he have met that mischievous trickster to get his scarf back finally Zadi was the one to break the silence, moving over the Dodo's tail and looking enthusiast and her smile got wider and her big eyes let a big gleam: "Wow, Eldin Volcano is so tall…"

Pointing this out made Lili widen her eyes as she tried to look up at the top of the mountain, her ears twitching in fear at the size of that place, while Ankoku looked uneasy at such…

"Oookay"-, he said in unease, wondering how to climb the mountain, but then realized he had his Loftwing and looked up at Zadi, having seen her healer skills and called her out –"Hey, Zadi, do you think Dodo is able to fly right now?"

Zadi tilted her head but quickly went over the check on the wing of the steed and nodded: "Maybe he can't reach Skyloft, but I think he should be able to"

"Thanks Zadi… and what about you Dodo?", the Skyloftwing asked his companion which let a hesitant squawk at first, but nodded. With a jump, the young man got on Dodo's back and finally resumed to fly up in the sky, such was the nature of his race.

"Time to reach Goron's City", Ankoku asked. His Minish companion needed still to get the ores of Din's Iron, while Ankoku had yet to get an hammer big enough to scare off Keaton. All in a single place, as the Great Deku Tree had told them: Goron City

"WEEEEEE!", Zadi said letting the wind caress her face, as Vaati kept looking at the panorama with his stern face and Lili kept holding tight on the Loftwing, frozen and still. Ankoku instead was hugging Dodo from behind, musing of how it was working as a warm up for the Wing Ceremony. He had lots of opponents there. Kody was not the most prepared, yet his loftwing Narculus was always unpredictable, and while Saro, Ai's steed, was by a fairly good margin the fastest of the most, almost able to catch up to Crimson Loftwing, what was the favorite was Allard's brown Loftwing on the account it was essentially a war machine with wings, being able to kill Kargarocs on its own, unsurprising considering that his owner was the best in combat class.

_Might Hylia give me the strength to ensure my victory… but I can't do it with my scarf. I miss them, must be quick_, the young man grimaced, ignoring the Minished who were curiously peeking down to admire beauty of the ground as Dodo kept flying around the mountain to scoop over and find the entrance of the Goron City. Vaati immediately peeked over and noticed an unnatural rock formation, of course, on closer look, two Goron guards guarding a cave which was most likely the entrance to the city, and tugged the rider's clothes to make him notice such.

With a polite thank Ankoku made his Loftwing descend on a nearby rocky platform stable enough to stand, where Zadi steadily checked on Dodo's wing to still make sure he had not gotten any injury. Before the child of Hylia's could wonder how to speak to the Goron without disturbing him, Vaati had already jumped down and was knocking on one of the rock eater's feet, trying to be noticed, making Ankoku rush to pick him up…

Least to say, Ankoku was slightly intimated by the size of the large individuals, being well over two feet taller than him, with their appearance of jagged stone and his tribal marking on the front, with the hard shell of his back made of sharper rocks of a darker hue, but needlessly politely bowed before them: "Uh… greetings sirs, , my name is Ankoku Yami, son of Kage Yami and Shini Goroshi from Skyloft"

"Hello, I am Zadi", the blonde Minish quipped, as she and her friends used Ezlo's magic to turn visible before the Gorons.

"Uhmmm… Hi", the shier one said covering herself with her big ears and blushing, fearful of the giant

"And I AM VAATI", the last one yelled to be noticed.

While both of the Gorons accepted pretty calmly the weird group of people, only rising a brow at Dodo's presence, as such race was not very common from the surface, they looked visibly startled at their presence as if somewhat worried and confused and the first spoke with a weird thick accent: "Uh… yeah, hello there too"

Ankoku bowed down and asked: "Forgive my intrusiveness, for I fear to be a bother to you at the moment but might I have access the city?"

Both of the Gorons looked at him massively confused before busting in a loud and fat laughter after which the second just gave him a big pat on the shoulder strong enough to make the young boy almost trip as he received an answer a somewhat brotherly: "HAHA! Sure enough, mate, no need to ask ya, have fun here and don't distract us from our job"

Ankoku smiled and, not minding the Picori climbing and getting all inside his hat, gave the Goron Guards proper thanks, after which he and Dodo rushed inside the city

* * *

_Goron City, Eldin Volcano, 10: 49 am, Second Day -_

Ankoku was … kind of amazed by the uniqueness of Goron City. At first it was giving a somewhat eerie feeling for, he was not used at a city inside a hollowed out mountain. It was so weird to see such a large place with no visible sky, with the exception of a few cracks in the stone to give some faint sunlight… but still the city was so lively, with so many Goron, literally rolling around the four floors which structured the city below him. Situated at the center of the city was a platform suspended by ropes where a crimson pearl with the symbol of the Goddess of power was displayed and used to light up the city by reflecting and magically amplifying the light which shone through the splits in the rock

And the many fresh representations of Gorons, Dodongoes, and other abstract shapes painted the city walls were to the Skyloftian mesmerizing enough that he almost got trampled by one of rolling inhabitants of the area, making him comically yelp. He did not want to know what would have happened if he ended up flattened by one of those things.

With more caution he just started walking around, not noticing how the Goron who had almost run him over had stopped and had stood up to look at him revealing he was much older than the guards, with grey colored hair a small goatee undeath and overall withered and aged appeared.

"Hey little fella! Are you alright?", he yelled loudly with that weird Goron accent which made Ankoku turn at him, just in time to receive another spine-shattering pat.

"My greetings sir" Ankoku coughed at him, making his new interlocutor laugh revealing a missing front teeth

"Oh bud, no need to be so formal, goro – the rock biter side – I am surprised to see one of your kin here. Name is Gorko the Goron, I was an archeologist back when I was young and hip, and I met one of your kin, riding a crimson colored of those birds. Did not expect one of you to come in this city"

Ankoku blinked at the quick and talkative Goron, but his eyes widened when he heard of a Crimson Loftwing, having a theory about whom he could be, but decided not to state it, just pointing out: "Wow, that individual had to be somewhat important"

"No doubt, goro" – Gorko replied and laughed a bit coughing due to his old age – "He was your so-called Hero of Legend"

At hearing this, Ankoku made a wider smile and cheered loudly: "Oh, by her Grace, are you stating you have crossing path with Link?"

The last name was said with such an high pitched voice Ankoku could have very well been mistaken for a pre-adolescent girl as many questions went thjrough his head, wishing to know as much as possible of the one warrior he blindly idolized, only coming with a somewhat awkwardly worded: "Was he really as great as the legend about him say"

The former archeologist Goron, amused by the cheerful Skyloftian, nodded and answered: "He was a very cool guy and a real warrior, a true bro of the Goron race. He once even brought me to your island so I could see the Isle of the Goddess. Not quite what I was looking for, goro, but he fulfilled a dream of a lifetime"

With a dreamy sigh, Ankoku nodded and said: "He has always been and will always be the greatest man who walked upon this land, epitome of sheer perfection "

Raising a brow at the somewhat excessive adoration, Gorko nodded and resumed: "Oh well, the past is the past, as awesome as it was… and it's always good to have one of you here. I don't know why are you here, but we love to have new guests"

This statement was no hyperbole, as, while they had been talking, a group of around a dozen of Gorons had come over and gathered, all to greet and chat with the newcomer. Ankoku looked somewhat embarrassed at being at the center of attention. The Minish hidden in his hat were confused at such friendliness… except poor Lili, who felt about to faint as she was surrounded by what in her eyes were walking mountains

_Why are there so many big people?_, she inwardly cried with her ears twitching. It was so unusual even for a race which was supposedly known as a textual gentle giants so many voices: "Hello!"; "Hey, goro"; "How are you"; "Whassup, Hylian, goro?"; "You alright, goro?", "How is the Surface"; "Anything weird happened nearby, goro?"; "You look hungry, do you want to eat something?"

Ankoku finally managed to answer at the last question, looking somewhat puzzled at the rush of all those voices, but his hunger, having not eaten for almost a day, made him gather enough courage to answer: "Uh… yes, kindly so"

He was presented with a rock half the size of his palm. Inwardly, he regretted to have just accepted such, but he had to fit the costumes of the places he visited.

A laughter was heard as the Goron who had given him the rock quipped taking a normal fruit which grew from the branches of the one of the few brave trees which could grow grow despite the dim light of Goron city: "Just kidding, goro, I know you don't eat rocks… here, get this ap-"

He stopped in the middle of his sentence as he joined the group of laughter with the other of his kin as he saw the Hylian blushing for having swallowed whole that rock just a few seconds before he had been told it was all a joke

"Oh my…"- Ankoku said with a nervous chuckle – "This … has been rather awkward"

Fortunately, the Gorons just laughed this off such, just as one of newest joined, around a head taller than most, wearing a flat helmet and a loincloth, unique for the hair which grew out of his bulky forearms which were in stark contrast of his stubby legs, an expression of surprise on his large flat face, looked over at the young fellow and spoke in a blunt way managing to silencing the other thanks to his piercing question: "Hey Hylian, why are you here?"

At this, Ankoku looked over the much taller rock eater and nodded at such a piercing question: "Well, I have a pair of questions. First of all, I have a few friends here…"

At this he lifted his hat showing the three Minishes, who each waved at the loud group of Gorons, Lili in shy meekness at seeing the giant, Zadi cheerfully waving her arm and Vaati with what looked like a dismissive gestur.

"… they have been looking for a few ores of Din's Iron. And we have been directed here by the Deku Tree. While I have come for… well, another specific reason", Ankoku said trying to get a way around such due to the difficulty of wording his request so it did not look too pretentious.

"… might you borrow me for a few hours the Megaton Hammer?", he finally asked with a big blush.

While all the other laughed at such, thinking it was a joke, Darbus, the Goron in question, just raised a brow at this and asked: "Why would you want the treasure of the Gorons, the Megaton Hammer?"

Ankoku dropped silent. He just realized why what he had just done was an idiotic move: how could he even ask something as sacred just to quell a personal grudge. He actually was trying to get out of this situation, but all of sudden, he felt someone knocking on his head.

"Let me speak at your place" – Vaati asserted to the Hylian before turning to the Darbus and answering on the behalf of the young man – "I AM VAATI! And this young man wants your Megaton Hammer because he needs a weapon worthy his problem: a matter of pride and HONOUR"

'_That Keaton is gonna get smacked so hard_', the short-tempered albino mouse-like spirit the size of a thumb thought as he kept his determinate stare to the almost eight fool tall mass of rock solid muscles, who looked more confused than anything. He took a deep sigh before letting a laughter which felt almost forced.

"Okay, goro, I admit you have a big spunk to be so small. But – Darbus said turning to Ankoku – understand this, young man, you asked for something we Gorons hold very important. And, no offence, I doubt you could even lift it…"

"I understand, and I apologize for my overly arrogant request", Ankoku said bitterly, more ashamed for the fact he had made such a daring question in the first place than its inevitable refusal, while covering again the Minishes with his hat

"However – Darbus continued, rolling his eyes at the young man's long-winded speech – I am not the leader of the Tribe, and Darunia is busy at the moment with another guest. I am guaranteeing you nothing… but come on, no time to sulk, goro. Just tell me your name, and call me Darbus"

At this Ankoku got a much pat much more stronger than the others, no doubt, with Dodo looking somewhat worried for his owner's safety this one would leave a bruise on his back, while he repeated in pain: "…my name is Ankoku Yami ..."

"So Ankoku… do you want to spend some time … with a sumo match?", Darbus jokingly proposed with a big grin cracking his knuckles while he started walking down the floors of Goron city

Under Ankoku's hat, Vaati who had heard this, cracked the knuckles the same way as Darbus ' and boasted to Zadi: "Uh, Sumo? I could defeat every one of this overgrown rocks anytime"

"Suuuuure…", Zadi said rolling her eyes at her friend's statement. She had to admit, his confidence was really something to behold.

Ankoku and Dodo instead, looked at each other: Ankoku fully knew how sumo worked and he remembered that, any time they had done extra lessons about this at the knight academy, he had never had a good winning streak, mostly because of his height of five feet and three inches of height paired up with his not so outstanding one hundred and twenty pounds of weight.

"Uh…"- Ankoku inquired slightly intimidated at Darbus' size – "Against you?"

"Oh come on, goro, I don't think we are quite on the same level", Darbus answered shaking his head trying to hold back another laughter as the big group reached the bottom of the City while Ankoku drew a sigh of relief.

"Just go in that room to take off those floppy clothes and let your friends rest"- he said pointing at a small cave like space – "I will be calling your opponent, goro?"

Of course Ankoku obeyed setting everything down a small, letting himself be in only his black and slightly loose jumpsuit as he got out and reached the place, while his friends moved all on Dodo's head, before looking at Gorko, who was being a spectator, if he could stay at least dressed like this, at which he got a big smile and a proud thumb up.

Then he finally received news of his opponent from a now eerily grinning Darbus as the big guy announced: "And now, Ankoku… meet your opponent, BIGGORON"

And so the young Hylian looked over at the largest of the many caves at the bottom, where his opponent crawled out and his eyes widened as he discovered there were no words able to convey how that name was accurate and the number of many, many feet which you would need to state Biggoron's height.

"Uh… goro… - the humongous rock eater said looking down trying to sound kind despite his booming voice – hello there, goro"

Dodo's jaws dropped. Lili outright fainted. And all the others screamed. Even Vaati.

* * *

**END OF VOLUME III**

* * *

** DISCLAIMER: **

**The history of Zelda, Skyloft, Hyrule and Termina, alongside its characters and setting, just like its spin-offs are (c) Nintendo**

**Zadi is (c) LuvIsAThing **

**Kitoran is (c) Kitoma Foxx. **

**Lili, the Tor Sibilngs and the nameless Keaton are (c) Maanga **

**Kody is (c) DreamsTheHylian**

**Allard is (c) RobotOwl**

**Ai Lang is (c) SZF**

**Ankoku Yami and the story are all (c) Xantospoc**

**Thanks you all for having read this fic, read and review please. See ya for the next chapter :)**


	11. A Name of Grief

**VOLUME IV: Trial by fire**

**)) Chapter 11: A Name Of Grief ((**

* * *

_Goron City, Eldin Volcano, 11:06 am, Second Day -_

Ankoku was trying to look up at his sumo wrestling opponent's face, 'bravely' squirming in fear and trying to find a winning strategy against Biggoron, who seemed more to be confused than ready at all: how was he supposed to win without hurting him too much, for the boy looked too light-weighted he might have swatted away with a sneeze. The only one who looked amused at the scene was Darbus, mostly out of curiousness about the kid's braveness, considering he had asked the Megaton Hammer, but before he could announce the beginning of the match, another voice boomed calling forth the second in command.

The new Goron was shorter and squatter than the other two Ankoku was with, he had a fiercely proud expression and from his attitude , mixed with hos his hair style curiously looked like a fabled king, even with spikes resembling, Ankoku could understand that, no doubt, that was Darunia, the leader of the Tribe, immediately inquiring the group: "By the love of Din, Darbus, what was that high pitched scream?"

If already Ankoku's blush could not clue him, Vaati concluded the work by pointing at him and yelling: "It was him! I absolutely didn't yell. At all, because I am not a girl: I AM VAATI"

This made Darunia tilt his head confused and, ignoring the pretentious Minish , turned at Darbus, who with a single exchange of look understood what his leader's request were.

"Don't worry, Big Brother Darunia, it was a sumo wrestling match, the human is not hurt at all", The largest of the three Goron kindly explained.  
Darbus nodded as he intervened giving Ankoku another pat powerful enough to make him fall while letting out a big laughter: "Unfortunately, I doubt we'll do much, Goro, as with that scream, I think this chum proved to be as sisterly as Golith"

"Goro, can you quit saying I am a sister, Big Brother Darbus? this is really hurting my feelings", a voice cried from a few houses above. Incredibly enough, as he mentioned this name, a Goron wearing a comically fancy feathered hat popped out of a window and said with a far softer tone of voice (some would even state effeminate) than most of his kin, making the Minishes and the Skyloftian raise a brow.

Darbus scoffed at that quirky behavior and Darunia let Golith vent while rolling eyes as he continued being as oversensitive as he crossed the arms and puffed: "I miss the Hylian town, goro. they treat me like a brother and I have the begonias waiting for me… I would go here if it weren't for…"

"Enough! Please, Golith, remain alone with your music, Goro, you know you have to practice on it", Darunia bolted raising an hand cutting him off just as Ankoku had been growing interested in his tale, a gesture the hat-wearing Goron perceived as an insult as he gasped.

"Oh, goro, you didn't", Golith whimpered as he got in and shut in the door, making everyone drop in silence, until, of course, Vaati spoke to Ankoku.

"He is right. You are as girly as he is", he stated, making Zari try (and fail) to make an intimidating frown at her friend while still holding the passed out Lili.

This made Darunia turn at and square out the youngling, noticing how large was a pair of dark circle around his eyes.

"Excuse me, Child of Hylia, what is your name?", the Tribe leader asked, at which Ankoku gave out his standard reply

"My humblest greetings, Big Brother Darunia, my name is Ankoku Yami, son of Kage Yami and Shini Goroshi from Skyloft", the black-clad youngling answered, making the rocky leader raise a brow, at which Darbus shrugged.

"He had been like this all along, Goro", he just stated, at which Biggoron nodded, watching as the another figure was walking up behind Darunia, as tall, if not taller, as Darbus, all clad in a dark golden armor and a pointed hemet covering every feature of his face, a figure which Ankoku linked immediately, due to his sheer bulk

"Whatever. Nice to meet ya too, little one… you look like to have gone through a long day…" - the Big Brother pointed out making Ankoku rub his eyes as he nodded – " Why don't you make yourself comfortable at Goron Cit, goro, and take a nice rest?"

It was funny, at first Ankoku felt so energetic, but at such mention, he nodded, feeling his eyes heavier, also, Zadi was apparently scratching his hair while Vaati looked bored, planning fist to deal with the Hylian and then try and get Din's Iron, so he could return quickly to Ezlo's teachings.

"I am genuinely considering your gentle offer, Lord Darunia. Where to get some yearned rest?", he said a bit drowsily rubbing his eye.

Darbus snapped him back again with another pat and a laughter, getting the young man to his knees: "You can pick the room where you took off your other clothes, Goro"

Vaati, upset that the larger Goron had almost toppled him over Ankoku's head just growled upset: "Just wait till I get close to those big eyes of yours, Darbus, just wait…"

* * *

_The Guest House, Goron City, Eldin Volcano, 11:12 am, Second Day -_

Ankoku and Dodo were pretty much ready to rest, while Vaati was quarrelling with Zadi and Lili atop the boy's head about whether to get the quickest way possible Din's Iron and return home or have their friends resting, but as soon as they opened a door of their resting room they quickly a familiar shadow sitting on the edge of the bed as if m, which made Dodo instinctively let out a hissing sound.

"Fang Boy?"- Ankoku blinked for a second sleepily as he rubbed his eyes while they were adjusting to the dim light of the room to recognize the figure –"Ah no… that's Kitoran… wait, Kitoran?"

"Sup, Hylian?" - the pink haired Kokiri said in his usual dismissive sound towards Ankoku while biting down an apple with his almost sharp-looking teeth, prompting a cheerful wave from Zadi, as if she knew of Kitoran's presence all along, which he gave back, then give a larger grin as he dropped his piercing question –"You noticed that as well?"

This question made Ankoku blink as he was putting back his clothing, but the Kokiri wasted no time to stand atop the bed and make clearer his reveal, doubting the blue clad boy would figure out on his own, his grin getting larger: "Are you alright? All okay? All those Goron kept asking you that question, don't you find this … just a bit suspicious?"

"Ahh… finally I see someone with a brain. You, Windborn, bring me to the height of Kitoran, he deserve a fist bump, then to the height of your hand", Vaati exclaimed ordering the submissive black-haired youth around, first hitting his fist with Kitoran's, then punching Ankoku in the eye again, making his carrier wince in pain.

As the eye finally stopped stinging, the Skyloftian asked: "Uh… Kitoran…might I question…?"

"I have always been with you, Hylian"- Kitoran cut him off assuming the question –"I was bored, so I decided to screw around with Mido again and I hid… hehe, you have no idea where"

Zadi nodded with her usual cat-like smile and explained further: "He had been hiding in the Bunny Hood since you went to chase after the Keaton. There is some impressive space-bending magic there"

'Magical bending of time space? … Now that I think of such, Goddess Aria had employed such magic to take down that Giant Poe … considering that hood used to belong to her… no surprise' the Skyloftian thought as Kitoran first showed off an example of the magic by shoving an entire arm inside one of the ears, then, seeing Ankoku too puzzled, snapped his fingers to send him back to reality, while Dodo had finally fallen asleep in a corner of the room.

"… Kitoran"- he finally managed to state –"What are you doing here? Did you run away from Navi"

This made the Kokiri almost trip in disbelief, then he quickly glared Ankoku with his blood-red colored eyes, scaring Lili in the process, and growled: "I run away from nobody…"

_'… except Navi'_ , he added in his mind, not wishing to state such aloud, while Ankoku nodded confused holding his head

"… whatever, that's not the point"- the Pink haired spirit of the forest added – "You have gotten into something you can't understand, kid. And you need someone … clever, a real adventurer, someone like…"

"VAATI!", the albino Minish in purple interrupted him in great arrogance.

"… me. What do you think, Hylian?", Kitoran added clenching again his teeth. In truth, he was just excited about the prospect adventure, he cared very little for Ankoku, having already paid back his debt, helping him was just an excuse… and his silence was not helping.

Before he could think of a way to convince Ankoku, Lili had poked the tight of the Skyloftian, making him turn toward her and causing her to blush as she muttered: "Hmmm… Mr. Yami…. Sorry if you ask, but …I think that…. iff you help the Goron… they might want to … pay you back?"

At this the youth blinked and looked as if he had completely woken up and muttered: "You mean they might… stop patting… No wait… they might give me the Megaton Hammer?"

Kitoran nodded with a grin, which made Ankoku crack a smile back at him, while Dodo had pretty much fallen asleep

"I suppose I might be able to sleep later. After all… I have to rush a bit if I want to take my scarf and return as soon as possible to the Wing Ceremony", Ankoku groaned to himself, deciding to give one more bolt of energy for this last task.

As Kitoran observed Ankoku putting on the Bunny Hood, and unsheathing his word let out a big grin and exclaimed her:"Let the adventure begin"

* * *

_Entrance of Goron City, Eldin Volcano, 11:20 am, Second Day -_

While Kitoran was heading at full speed towards the exit, the Minishes just remaining silent having decided to follow them until they got out and to remain in the city to convince Darunia to hand them Din's Iron, Ankoku was looking around once more at the beauty of the Goron City, now trying to understand what might be amiss in that zone, just thinking that this part had been getting far too smoothly. However, again his thoughts were interrupted as he managed to glimpse the hat belonging to the one Goron he was interested to speak the most: the gentle, delicate musician Golith.

"Greetings there", Ankoku helloed him with a gentle bow, getting a groan from Kitoran who did not wish to get sidetracked

"Hello you there, Hylian, how are you doing, goro?", the Goron innocently answered them with a gentle wave as he was taking out his lute , examining it before stinging a few chords with his large fingers.

Kitoran made a sign to Ankoku to avoid dragging out the conversation, to which Ankoku answered with a rather rushed: "I wished to take a breath outside"

The musician almost tensed a chord to the point it was almost snapped in half as with a somewhat worried tone as he spoke, surprising both the wanna-be travellers with his sentence: "Oh, no, goro, I don't think you should"

The blue clad Hylian was about to try and form a coherent and gentle question, but Kitoran once more cut in: "Now, fella, spill your guts. What do you know about what's happening 'round here?"

"And you better speak now"- Vaati growled shaking his fist in generic smothering rage, making the other two Minish sigh - "Or I will beat up your hat"

Golith looked in disbelief at the Minish and the Kokiri, even a bit scared, hoping at least they would spare his begonias, but Ankoku trying to be a moderator, simply said: "What we meant, Golith is...why?"

"The guards have been constantly checking the entrance to make sure none of us gets in danger by going out of the city, at least not until the General checks the outsides of Eldin Volcano", he answered. Kitoran gritted his teeth and inwardly cursed at hearing such, knowing that he would surely have problems to escape two heavily trained Gorons, and if he could not, surely the child of Hylia would have failed as well.

"Well, is there no way for us to get out, so? I mean, I doubt we can outsmart the guards, right", Ankoku stated aloud in a somewhat obvious ploy to get some weakness in the Goron security which his interlocutor failed to see.

"Indeed" - Golith answered them with a large smile as he was playing some pleasing music with a light shrug - "There is only another way out, actually, a small cave over there, goro, but most Gorons could not fit, so we didn't really bother to cover it"

At hearing such, in a rare moment of syntony, both Kitoran and Ankoku looked at each other with a light smirk, the Minish quickly figuring out what they meant to do, Lili twitching her ears in anxiety at hearing such.

"Weeell...", Kitoran said stretching his hands and smiking more as he looked at the direction Golith had pointed out – "if I cannot get out... I guess I'll go back to sleep, isn't right, Hylian?"

"Truly, I agree to such idea, and I would mind not to follow you, shall we go?", Ankoku spoke in a somewhat more histrionic voice than usual.

"Best wishes with the 'sleep'", Zadi said waving at them with her usual cat smile while Vaati gave them a dismissive huff, wanting them to get away so he could soon deal with Din's Iron and Darunia.

"Oh yes, Lili"- Ankoku answered them as he took his Deku Stick, thinking it could not break in the small cave - "A small thing, as you remain 'awake', please keep an eye on Dodo, use this"

Before the brunette could answer that she was far too short to handle that, she found herself, a small Minish the size of two inches, carrying a stick thirty times taller than her, Zadi trying to help her balance this as they waved at the duo leaving them. Of course, Vaati didn't even bother to look at them.

"I am glad they are relaxing"- Golith said to the Minished sitting down better as he started playing an old melody of the Gorons, the Bolero of Fire - "I don't want them to suffer any problem outside. Poor, poor Eldin Volcano, goro"

Zadi turned at the Goron, having helped Lili setting the Deku Stick down and running up to the Goron's foot she asked with her usual sweet tone: "Pardon?"

The musician looked at the small Minish and smiled having an idea at this and cooed at her: "Well well, you look a curious one... let me sing you a story shall we? It is of far beyond this back, back when Hylia lived"

"Oooooh, I love stories"- Zadi eagerly said helping Lili climb up the foot and eagerly willing to listen her feather-tail wagging - "Please, do tell"

"What a drag", Vaati complained to his fellow Minishes crossing his arms and mumbling to himself, as Golith resumed with more impetus the Bolero.

"Gorons are renown as a tribe of nomads, travelers seeking for clues of a past long gone, and it's true might have moved here in Eldin Volcano … how long ago? Less than fifty years ago, convincing the Mogmas with three hundreds bags of the rarest gems of Hyrule", he said trying to move with a long tone, his music occasionally hesitant as he tried to find the correct words to match his rhythm.

"... but well before the rise of the Demon King, Gorons had a far more solid domain here, we lived in peace with Eldin and just had all the delicious rocks this mountain had to offer..."

"As the Demon King rose, our people were terrified. Big as mountains and strong, we Gorons are pacific, and for a while powerless, unable to attack, although between the Volcano, Eldin and the power Din granted us, we were strong enough to keep up against the endless hordes of monsters to a standstill... until...a shed of light came..."

"A hero in green?", Lili shyly asked in awe a the tail. She remembered such tale, it was very similar to a legend in one of the tomes coming from Ezlo's endless Library, at which Golith nodded, quickly resuming his story.

"Indeed, a man in green, holding an offer of alliance which was to be extended to all the Seven races in Hyrule. He called himself nothing more but a messenger of the Mother of the Hylians, yet one of us, he who'd have become the first Sage of Fire, stepped forward and accepted his alligiance"

"And what a miracle it was: through it... the tides soon turned and we Goron managed to repel the forces of the Demon King off the Eldin Region … not without a price, however. Our Sage was dead, killed in battle, alongside many of our kind. The grief, the pain which had seared our land, and the place being nothing but shambles... made us leave.

At this his fingers tensed to the point his hands were trembling, unable to continue to make this story light through the music, something clearly seen by the Minish youths, as he was now pretty much stating his own opinion: "Darunia might have chosen this place to get over this past... And while I prefer the town of humans nearby the Lanaryu province, I respect his choice. However, there is something none of us has to forget "

Zadi looked at him concerned asking what could it be, with Lili bowing his head: her photographic memory had quickly made her remember all the story, she knew this part.

Golith remained serious and finally spoke setting down the lute to show how this was not him playing around turning at the exit: "Goro, since the death of the first Sage of Fire, our hero, we Gorons have renamed Eldin Volcano... the Death Mountain. And it will always be."

At this the blonde Minish nodded, quickly managing to connect the dots. Indeed, if the Gorons had to be so wary... there had to have been around the Volcano. Something, maybe from that time, was still alive. No wonder they were so scared.

'_And now both Ankoku and Kitoran..._', she thought widening her eyes, knowing her friends were in far worse trouble they had assumed

"WE NEED TO WARN OUR FRIENDS" - Zadi yelped in fear at this, hastily correcting herself to avoid outing that the Hylian and the Kokiri had been sneaked away from the city using her sweet words to hide her panic – "They were nervous, knowing this. Now that they are aware of what's the problem they'll sleep better"

Golith raised a brow, but again fell for the hook and nodded with his usual gentle smile and a thumb up, knowing she had a point, maybe he should have shared the tale with the other two strangers as well, he welcomed their presence. As long in his thoughts, he didn't notice how Zadi had quickly suggested the other two Minishes they should have helped, but alas, she quickly met a complain... from who else?

"This is a waste of time, the story was boring and the characters were flat!" – Vaati complained upset to his fellow Minishes loud enough so even the two taller individuals could hear him – "We don't need to go through this much, it's likely nothing"

"But Vaati" – Zadi objected jumping before him and looking at him perplexed, her kind nature not allowing her to leave people alone–" the situation might be far bigger than we think... if we help them, we might get Din's Iron with…"

"I don't need to help any Goron to get Din's Iron. am VAATI – The purple clad pint-sized snapped in anger glaring at his friend– and you, like me, are Ezlo's apprentice, and Ezlo is the Sage…"

"Fine fine, I know it, no need to tell me this" - Zadi said raising her hand, but not looking to be giving up –If you don't want to help them, fine, but I still want to… do you wish to help me, Lili?"

As the honey blonde Minish extended an hand toward the shiest of the three, Vaati glared at them both… of course, losing in the process any possibility of Lili siding with him, a fact which made him growl. However, as arrogant as the albino Picori could be, he was not heartless, and was still worried for them, he would not let them go without any protection.

"Whatever… Lili, let's go and take me the Windborn's Deku Stick"- Vaati blurted out before turning to his friends – "they are going to need need at least a Cane of Pacci… incomplete as it might be"

Zadi and Lili widened their eyes in surprise at this, after all, the Cane of Pacci was something only Ezlo could create with absolute perfection, yet they understood the gist of their fellow's order, therefore, as the blonde Mishin reunited in a circle, while the Goron musician observed.

Incredibly enough, it was the brunette who started, having the best memory of the trio, at first just shyly mumbling, but as soon as she gained some of her little self confidence and started making a chant in her original Picori language, soon joint by Vaati and Zadi, a thing which Golith looked at curiously despite being still distracted at what might have been happening outside, as the stick started glowing of a golden aura and they finally lifted it all together (an impressive feat, considering their size) at which the honey blonde let out a grin of triumph.

"I suppose you are not going to help us further, uh, Vaati?", she said trying to coax her friend into doing more with her puppy eyes.

The answer of her Albino friend was to cast a curious green light, which Zadi knew what it meant and answered: "By Demise, no"

With a sigh, she shook her head. She knew they were not going to get more from him, but at least his heart was still in the right place.

"Then let's go to ease our friends' 'sleep'", Zadi said to her brunette friend, and quickly scooted away with the Cane of Pacci.

"And I will keep company to that _Solcanubi belonging _to that child of Hylia's"- he said, angrily mumbling some rather crude insinuation about some special and forbidden bond between Dodo and Ankoku as a defamatory act. However, not satisfied, he quickly turned at Golith and pointing at him he started yelling -"You, minstrel, begin to use a iambic pentameter for your next poems, or I will make sure to turn that lute of yours into a ukulele!"

Golith gasped in utter horror at such threat and with a pout he told Vaati: "Goro, you meanie!"

* * *

_Eldin Volcano, 11:47 am, Second Day -_

It was rather easy for the two Minishes to avoid getting stepped on by any Goron and find the small entrance, small enough that only a child could fit by couching down, but for thumb sized creatures, the walk was remarkably easy and devoid of challenge, although Lili could not help but wonder how Ankoku and Kitoran could have crawled in there and hopefully getting no harm.

Quickly enough, they were outside the city and down the giant mountain. Lili could not deny it was … majestic, especially the view from down there, seeming that it was impossible to see the base of the mountain, especially considering they, being Minish, had to be very careful, the rocks were so segmented and there were so many cobbles around to hinder them. In fact, they barely could see what it was in front of them, forcing them to run over several times to find the Kokiri and the Hylians.

Finally, after a while, they managed to finally glimpse them, seeing the cloth of the edge of the Hylian's pants flapping in the wind, and oddly neither of them seemed to be moving.

With their voice, both of the small spirits called for Ankoku poking him with the end of the Cane of Pacci, which made him turn in surprise, couching over at their height puzzled at why they were not taking care of Dodo, fearing they had to give further bad news.

"Zadi, Lili? What are you doing here?", he asked confused, his visage lightly upset and anxious while Kitoran's back was still turned away: the pink haired Kokiri seemed to be absorbed by whatever he was seeing over the horizon.

"We are here to give you a small gift", Zadi said thrusting out the stick they were carrying, making the Hylian's eyes sparkle in delight.

"You got the Cane of Pacc… EEP!", Lili said as she squeaked scared and embarrassed at being brought up in the air, along Zadi's amused expression.

"It also has some nifty magic"- Lili cheerfully explained as both she and her friend crawled on the shoulder of the boy in blue - "You will love what you can do with it"

Ankoku smiled, the corners of his lips lightly trembling as he answered, his voice now clearly shaking: "I am quite grateful for such reason. I have the somewhat dreadful impression that … it might come in handy in a far too nearby future"

Surprised at his somewhat eerie answer, the two Minish turned around, at their new height and were left in wonder, Lili immediately hiding inside Ankoku's hat in fear, as the boy looked almost frozen at the spectacle before them, contrasting Kitoran's expression, a mix of complacency and dread, but an overall excitement for the upcoming challenge, branding his sword in his left hand and nervously playing with the lock of his pink hair with the other.

If you were to ask a Goron what is the greatest danger of the Eldin Volcano (or Death Mountain, however you might wish to call it) their answer would be their natural predators, the Dodongo, large bipedal reptilians which can grow from three to thirty feet, breathe fire and have jaws powerful enough to break through roc

Even if someone was unaware of such, they still would know those creatures are not to take lightly, due to their imposing appearance, their thick hides able to repel bombs and swords alike (with the exception of a few weaknesses in their tail).

And now, Ankoku and Kitoran had to welcome a new fear as they had been facing around a dozen of Dodongoes, all a few feet away from each other. Or rather, their skeletons , as it was all that was left of them.

* * *

**DISCLAIMER**:

**The history of Zelda, Skyloft, Hyrule and Termina, alongside its characters and setting, just like its spin-offs are (c) Nintendo**

**Zadi is (c) LuvIsAThing**

**Kitoran is (c) Kitoma Foxx.**

**Lili is (c) Maanga**

**Golith is (c) Theodore Hastings**

**Ankoku Yami and the story are all (c) Xantospoc**

**Thanks you all for having read this fic, read and review please. See ya for the next chapter :)**


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